Tales of a Pizza Delivery Boy
by BubblyShell22
Summary: Tony had always wanted to be a pizza delivery boy and work for his dad, but after seeing some of the strange things he has lately, he really wonders what he's gotten himself into, especially when he encounters the Turtles one night.
1. Chapter 1

Tales of a Pizza Delivery Boy

Chapter 1: First Day

A/N: Hey, guys, I know it's not a good idea for me to start up another story, but I can't help myself. This bunny has been in my head for a long time, and I have decided it's time to bring it out to you guys. I love the pizza delivery kid in the new cartoon, and I thought it would be cool to get his thoughts on the Turtles based on some of the cameos he makes in the episodes. I'm also thinking of turning this into an actual story where he finally meets the Turtles, though I highly doubt this will happen in the show as he'll probably remain a minor character. Anyway, here is my story about Antonio Jr. also known as Tony for short. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters are property of Nickelodeon. I don't even own the pizza delivery boy, but I am embellishing on his character a bit more.

Summary: Tony had always wanted to be a pizza delivery boy and work for his dad, but after seeing some of the strange things he has lately, he really wonders what he's gotten himself into, especially when he encounters the Turtles one night.

I was so excited to be working for my dad. Ever since I was a kid, I always dreamed I would work in the pizza business one day. Well, now that day had come, and I couldn't be happier. Sure, I was a pizza delivery kid, but at least it was a start to one day owning the business. Antonio's Pizza was a big deal in New York, and everyone loved buying our pizza. I was determined to live up to my name and make my father proud of me.

"Ah, there he is," Dad said as I entered the pizza parlor. "You ready to make your old man proud, son?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I can't wait to do this," I replied.

"Good," said Dad. "Now, you'll be working the night shift. It should be fairly easy, but I still want you to be careful. There's all sorts of gangs out there, and I don't want you to get hurt. If they ask for something, just give them what they want so you don't get into a scrap, okay?"

"But what if they want a pizza that's for another customer?" I asked him.

"Then just give it to them and come back for another one," answered Dad. "We don't want any trouble for our business, you got it?"

"Yes, Dad," I replied. There was no way I was gonna mess this up.

"Good. Now, here are the first orders and the list of the addresses. Make sure you get the right address and the correct pizza. I know it's your first day and that things can be hectic, so if you mess up, don't dwell on it. Just apologize and give them a coupon for a free pizza. That'll make them happy again. You know what to do, Tony?"

I nodded. It didn't sound so hard. "Yeah, I can do this."

Dad patted me on the shoulder. "That's my boy," he said fondly. "Now you better hurry up before those pizzas get cold."

I took the pizzas and loaded them on my new bike. I just hoped they would stay put while I was driving around the city. The first few houses weren't that far, and they all gave me some praise at how I delivered their pizza. I had a feeling this was going to be a good night after all. As I made my way to the next house, something happened that I will never forget. There were these guys in turtle costumes that were blocking the road. I really didn't know what to make of them, but when the one in the red mask made a scary face and growled at me, I high tailed it out of there. I certainly didn't want any trouble. In my haste to get away, I didn't notice that one of my pizza boxes had fallen off until I got to the house. I looked at all of the boxes and realized that it was missing. Had those guys taken it after it had fallen? I thought about retracing my steps, but I had other deliveries to do first, so I decided to finish those. I went to the house where the missing pizza box was supposed to go and figured I could give them a free coupon to make up for it.

"Hello, young man," the elderly lady said after I knocked on the door.

"Hi, I was supposed to give you a pizza, but it fell off my bike, and I can't find it," I said. "But here's a coupon for a free pizza."

The lady gave me a kind smile. "Oh, that's okay, sweetie," she said. "Accidents happen to all of us. I'll take the coupon and get that free pizza some other time. I don't think my husband will be happy, but he'll just have to make do?"

"Ellen, who is that?" a male voice asked.

"The pizza boy, honey," replied Ellen. "He accidentally lost the pizza but he's given us a free coupon for another one."

The man wasn't too happy. "What the hell kind of service is this?" he snapped. "This never used to happen in the old days when Antonio's was new. Stupid kids don't know how to do anything right!"

"Now, Harold, that's no way to talk to this young man," Ellen scolded. "It was an honest mistake."

"Yeah, right," grumbled Harold. "The kid probably did it on purpose. You better not pay him full price for that pizza since we didn't get it."

Ellen ignored her husband and gave me the money. "Don't worry about him," she whispered to me. "He's just getting cranky in his old age. You did a good job, honey, and I know it wasn't your fault. Have a good night."

"You too," I answered. I was grateful that Ellen was understanding about my predicament, but I wasn't so sure my dad was going to be as happy.

I finished my run and went back to the shop for more, explaining to my dad what happened to the pizza and how I gave the customers a free coupon.

"You did the right thing, son," Dad said. "I know it probably wasn't easy, but I think you did a good job for your first try. Here's some more boxes. Don't worry about the missing pizza either. These things happen to all of us. It even happened to me. So, what do you say scared you?"

"Some guys in turtle costumes," I replied. "They looked pretty freaky."

Dad laughed. "Probably some kids just out havin' some fun," he said. "Don't worry about them, Tony. I'm sure you won't see them again."

I wanted to believe Dad, but as it turned out, I was going to keep seeing them a lot during my routes. I just figured it would be freak appearances now and then, but I had no idea that I would also get to meet and get to know these guys better than I thought I would. And what I would find out was something no one would believe to be real.

A/N: A little short I know, but it is the first chapter. I'm having so much fun making up this story, and I really hope you guys enjoy it. First few chapters will be based on the cameos Tony makes in the episodes while other chapters will focus on his encounter with the Turtles and what happens from there. Feel free to leave a review, and have a shelltastic day.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Cheese Whiz

A/N: Hey, I'm back with yet another chapter featuring Tony. I'm so happy with the reaction this story has gotten so far, and I hope you like more of what I have in store for Tony. Thanks to all of those who have read and reviewed thus far. To my anonymous reviewers, here's your update. This chapter will take place during the episode "I Think His Name Is Baxter Stockman" since that was the next episode we saw Tony in.

Disclaimer: If I owned the TMNT, I wouldn't be writing a story about them for a website. TMNT and all other characters are property of Nickelodeon. I only own the plot.

I really liked my job. I had to deal with rude customers sometimes, but for the most part, things were going great for me. Dad was impressed with my work ethic and how I never complained about going in the bad parts of town, even though I was nervous about it. I hadn't seen those guys in turtle costumes, so I just figured that maybe they were just kids having fun. But as it turned out, I did sort of see them once again.

I was on my way to yet another delivery, when all of a sudden I saw one of the guys in a turtle costume jump over my bike and snatch two of my pizza boxes. Needless to say, I was mad, but I knew there was nothing I could do about it. I thought I heard him yell something about hot cheese, though I had no idea what he was doing or who he was talking to. He was probably playing a prank on someone, and from the sound of his voice, he sounded not much older than me. Sighing in frustration, I knew that I would have to tell two other customers that I lost their pizzas. Gritting my teeth, I headed to the first apartment and knocked on the door. There was loud music inside and it sounded like there was a party going on in there.

A kid answered the door, and it looked like he'd been drinking. "Hey, the pizza's here!" he announced. Then he turned to me. "So, how much do I owe ya?"

"Well, I'm sorry to tell you this, but your pizza's been stolen," I replied. "Some guy in a turtle costume took it to pull a prank on someone."

The kid wasn't happy. "Are you serious, man?" he yelled. "I order a pizza and you say that some other guy stole it. A likely story. I bet you ate it all on your own, didn't you?"

"No, I didn't," I answered. "It was stolen. But here's a coupon for a free pizza." I handed him the coupon, hoping that he would take the offer.

He took the coupon and ripped it up. "Shove that offer up your ass," he said. "I don't want nothin' from you. I'll just order a pizza from Domino's. They're better than this shit." Then he slammed the door in my face.

Ah, the joy of customers. I sighed and made my way to the next apartment, hoping that the person in there would be more understanding. I knocked and waited for the door to open.

A woman answered the door followed by one of her kids. "Hey, kids, the pizza's here," she said. "Go sit down. So how much will it be?"

"Well, ma'am, I hate to tell you this, but someone stole your pizza," I said. "They just snatched it off of my bike."

"Who did that?" a boy asked.

"Some guy in a turtle costume," I answered.

The boy's eyes lit up. "Really?" he asked. "Whoa, that had to be awesome to see. Where is he?"

"I don't know," I replied. "I had to hurry up and get here, so I didn't have time to really get a look at him."

"Next time you see him, you should get a picture," the boy said. "I would love to see that."

I smiled. "Maybe I will. Look, I'm sorry for what happened, but here's a coupon for a free pizza."

The woman smiled at me. "Thank you so much," she said. "I'm sorry that had to happen to you. I'll still pay you what you're owed since it wasn't your fault."

"Thanks," I said and took the money. "If you want, I can come back with another pizza."

"Oh, that's okay, I've got something else I can give them," she answered. "But I'll be sure to get that other pizza another time."

"Okay have a good night," I said.

"Hey, mister, I want to be a pizza guy just like you," the boy said. "You must have the best job ever."

"It has its ups and downs," I told him. "But good for you for wanting to do something good for people. I'll see you later."

As I left and finished my delivery route, I couldn't help but feel happy that at least one customer wasn't mad at me for my blunder. I went back to the shop and told Dad what happened to my pizzas.

"Man, those punks really got some nerve," he grumbled. "Do you think it's the Purple Dragons in disguise?"

"No, I can't see them dressing up in costumes," I said. "They would just take it and run without any disguises."

"Yeah, that's true," Dad said. "I hear they've been rampant in this city. They've been goin' to businesses askin' for protection money. They better not have the nerve to show up here though. If they do, they'll get a lesson they'll never forget."

I knew my dad would carry out his threat, too. He was the type you didn't mess with no matter what.

"Look, I'm sorry about the pizza, Dad," I said. "I just keep messing up."

"It's not your fault, Tony," Dad said. "You're doin' a great job, and at least you're tryin' to make it up to them, so don't sweat it. I've got a few more deliveries for you before you can call it a night, and you better make it fast. I've already missed one hour of wrestlin' tonight."

I laughed. "Yeah, we better get home so we can watch the rest of it," I said. I gave my dad a hug and left to go do more deliveries. I didn't see the guys in the turtle costumes for the rest of the night, but they kept bothering me. Who were they, and why were they out at night? Why did they wear costumes, and why did they like to steal my pizzas? I wished that maybe one day I would get to ask them about it, and one day, I was able to get my answers but not before I got myself into a situation that I almost didn't get out of.

A/N: Sorry for the short chapters, but I can only go so far with this for now. I hope to have longer chapters in the future, but we'll see where things go and how far I can drag this out. I'm having so much fun with this though, and I'm glad I was able to get another chapter in. Feel free to leave a review, and have a shelltastic day.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Kidnapped by a Weed Mutant

A/N: Hey, I'm back with another chapter. This one, as you can probably guess, takes place during "New Girl in Town" where Tony is kidnapped by Snakeweed. Thanks to all of those who have read and reviewed so far. Your encouragement has really helped me to keep going with this story. I hope you enjoy the next installment.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I'm only borrowing them for my own amusement.

I didn't think anything would really happen to me, but as it turned out, I ended up getting kidnapped by a weed mutant. I know it sounds crazy, but it's true. It happened while I was doing my delivery. I was just driving along when out of nowhere this weed mutant came and grabbed me right off of my bike. I saw the guys in turtle costumes chasing it and heard one of them yell, "Not the pizza guy! Take Donnie!" I wasn't sure who Donnie was, but I really needed help.

"Somebody help me!" I yelled, hoping that the guys would hear me and do something. I kept waiting for them to come to my rescue, but nothing happened. What was going on? Why was this happening to me of all people?

Anyway, the weed mutant took me to the sewers to his hideout. I kept begging him to let me go, but he didn't listen to a word I said.

"You will make good fertilizer," he said. He kind of sounded like Gollum from Lord of the Rings, which I thought was pretty creepy. Before I could do anything, he encased me in this tube and started filling it up with some liquid. I tried to hold my breath, but it was filling up too fast, and before I knew it, I had blacked out.

I don't remember everything that happened after that, but I do remember someone lifting me out of my pod. As I looked around, I saw a blonde girl moaning. Had the mutant taken her, too? I leaned on her for support, and we made our way out of the sewers and back to the surface.

"Hey, thanks for saving me," I said.

"I didn't save you," the girl replied. "Someone else rescued us. I thought I saw some guys in turtle costumes looking at me, but when I turned, there was no one there. I must have been imagining things."

"Yeah, I guess so," I said. But I couldn't help but wonder if the guys in the turtle costumes really did save us. It would make sense, though I wish they had gotten there sooner. The girl said goodbye and left while I retraced my steps to my bike which had crashed due to me not being on it. Great, how was I gonna explain this to Dad? I knew if I said what had really happened he wouldn't believe me, so I had to lie. I didn't want to, but it was the only thing to do.

I headed back to the shop and told Dad that some kids had caused me to crash the bike and kidnapped me, forcing me to go to the sewers. They kept me there and told me I had to stay there, but I managed to escape and come back. I wasn't sure if Dad bought it or not, but he chose to believe me.

"Stupid kids," he muttered. "Where are all the parents when you need them? Don't worry about the bike, Tony. You can use that other one we got. I'll start makin' new pizzas since those are all cold now, and if anyone complains, I'll explain what happened."

"Thanks, Dad," I said. I was lucky to have someone like him. I wasn't sure if I would ever get to tell him the truth about the mutant weed monster, but for now it was best that I didn't. Who knows what would happen next? Dad made the pizzas and I finished my route with no other incidents. I just couldn't believe how weird things were getting, but they were about to get even weirder, and I wasn't sure if I could handle that.

A/N: A little short, I know, but I figured that would do for now. I really hope you like what I did with this chapter. I wanted to make it as vague as possible because I can't see Tony remembering everything anyway. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Cut Off By Some Go Carts

A/N: And here's yet another chapter. This one will take place during "TCRI" since Tony makes a brief appearance there, too. This chapter might be short, too, but I'll try and have longer chapters in the future if I can. Thanks to all of those who have read and reviewed so far. You guys rock.

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT. That right belongs to Nickelodeon. I'm only using them for fun.

After the weed mutant incident, I was a little reluctant to go out again, but I knew if I didn't, Dad would get mad. So I gritted my teeth and went back to work. Things seemed to be going great until I was suddenly cut off by four go carts driven by the guys in the turtle costumes. I was a little curious to see what they were doing, but I couldn't neglect my route, so I just kept on driving and made my deliveries. But as I did, I kept thinking about those go carts. How did the guys make them? What were they doing with them?

I got back to the shop and saw Dad cleaning up since we were closing down for the night. He smiled when he saw I was back.

"Have a good shift, son?" he asked me.

"Yeah, but I did get cut off by those guys in turtle costumes," I said. "They were driving these go carts and almost ran over me."

"They were probably just learnin' how to drive," Dad mused. "Funny thing that you've seen these guys in turtle costumes a lot lately. It doesn't sound like these guys are up to any good. I heard on the news that Murakami's got broken into and that the Purple Dragons were behind it. When they were interviewed, they said that these guys in turtle costumes fought them and saved Murakami."

"Well, if they saved Murakami, then they're obviously good guys," I said. "Why would they save him if they were up to no good?"

"You got a point there, Tony, but somethin' about this is pretty fishy," Dad said. "I don't like it at all. If you see these guys again, you better tell me, Tony. I want to see what these guys are up to and what their motives are, you understand? Maybe you could try and follow them next time to see what they're up to."

"But what about my deliveries?" I asked him.

"Never mind about that," Dad said. "If you see them you follow and see what's up. I'll make sure to explain when the time comes."

"Okay, Dad," I said. I wasn't happy about it, but at the same time, I was just as curious as Dad was. I was going to get some answers, but I never expected I'd get my answers the way that I did and that trouble was definitely going to follow me soon.

A/N: And that's the end of that chapter. I couldn't really elaborate more on this because there wasn't much to tell in this one. Next chapter will be better and will be about April stealing his bike. Should be fun. In the meantime, feel free to review and have a shelltastic day.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Robbed by a Girl

A/N: I'm back with another tale in the saga of Tony Jr. This chapter takes place during "Karai's Vendetta" and is where April steals his bike. Thanks to all of those who have read and reviewed so far. I swear, you guys are the best.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all the characters belong to Nickelodeon. I'm just having fun with them.

"Tony, I want you to take the day shift today," Dad said.

I thought it was weird because I usually only did the night shift, but I decided that maybe it would be better. There wasn't much that could happen during the day, so I agreed, thinking that I would have a peaceful day. Boy was I wrong about that.

The delivery route started out fine as usual, but just when I was ready to deliver some pizzas to an apartment complex, a redhead came up, looking frantic.

"Is that pizza for O'Neil?" she asked.

I told her it wasn't, but before I could tell her who it was for, she hopped on my bike. "Hey, what are you doing?" I yelled.

"I'll bring it back," she said. "I promise."

Before I could say anything else, this other girl was looking at the redhead and got another motorcycle to chase her. I probably should have done something, but I had to continue my route. After I was done, I was angry. I was sure that I'd never get the bike back, and now Dad was gonna be so mad at me. But just when I got back to the shop, I saw my bike with a note attached to it.

_Sorry I had to take your bike, but it was an emergency. Here it is, just as I promised you. Thanks for your help.—April. _

I was surprised she had brought it back, but I was glad. I wasn't sure if I would see her again, but if I did, I was going to give her a free pizza just for being so nice. I went in and told Dad what had happened. He was mad at first, but then he calmed down after I told him about how April had given it back.

"Wow, that's a first," he said. "She must be one special girl. You know her last name?"

"No, but she did ask if one of the pizzas was for O'Neil," I said. "Maybe that's her last name."

"Well, we need to give her a free pizza," Dad said. "It makes me feel good to know that there are good people in this world. You make sure you give her that pizza and tell her exactly why she's getting it, too."

"I will, Dad," I said.

"Good," Dad said. "I'm so proud of you, Tony. Even with all of the weird stuff goin' on, you've kept at it. Any other person would have quit by now, but not you. I'm proud that you're my son and that you'll be able to carry on the family name."

"Thanks, Dad," I said. "I won't let you down."

"I know that," he said. "Now, let's get some more deliveries done before our customers get mad."

I nodded and continued with the deliveries. I really wanted to thank April, and so I looked up her address and found that no one was there. One of the neighbors was kind enough to direct me to April's aunt's house, so I went over there and knocked on the door. I heard footsteps and when the door opened, there was April.

"Hi, are you April O'Neil?" I asked her.

"Yeah, I am," she answered. "We didn't order a pizza."

"I know, but I wanted to thank you for giving me my bike back," I answered. "I know you didn't mean any harm by it, and you kept your promise. It's very rare that you see anything like that these days."

"Yeah, but I was taught to always keep my promises," she replied. "Thanks for the pizza. What's your name?"

"Tony Salini," I answered.

"Thanks for the pizza, Tony," April said.

"You're welcome," I answered. "Thanks for bringing my bike back."

"No problem," she responded. "It's the least I could do."

I smiled at her. "I hope to see you around," I said. Then I turned and left, feeling pretty good that I'd been able to talk to her. I really wanted to talk to her some more and wondered if I'd see her again. I went back to the shop and finished some more deliveries before my day was over. I kept thinking about April. She seemed grateful for the pizza, but there was something else in her eyes, and I couldn't quite place it. It was almost like she was upset about something, though I didn't know what. I figured if I ever talked to her again, I'd ask her about what was going on and maybe I'd get some answers. There were some weird things happening lately, and I was sure that sooner or later, I was going to find out the answers I was looking for.

A/N: I know that the Turtles told April she had to stay in the sewers, but I could see her going back to her aunt's house to pack some things up first, so that's why I decided to have her there and have her meet Tony. Yes, the Turtles were there, too, but they were out of sight like the good ninjas they are. Don't worry, Tony will be meeting them really soon. If he makes an appearance in the finale, I'll write a chapter for that, but if not, then I'll get the ball rolling on the rest of the story. Oh, and I don't know if Salini is a real Italian name, but it sounds like one, so I went with it. Please, don't get mad at me if it's not a real name. Feel free to leave a review, and have a shelltastic day. Oh, and enjoy the finale. I know I will.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Abducted by Aliens

A/N: Hey, I'm back with more of Tony's story. I watched the season finale, and it looked like he got thrown off his bike into one of the pods, so I'm using that for this chapter. Thanks to all of those how have read and reviewed thus far. It means a lot to me, and I hope you enjoy this chapter, too.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot for this story.

You would think that I'd had my fair share of weird things happen to me, but nothing could have prepared me for when I was abducted by aliens. Yep, you heard me right. I was abducted by these aliens while on my delivery route. One of the pods came down and knocked me off my bike and into the pod itself. Before I could escape, the door closed, and I was lifted into the air. I was scared because I had no idea what was going on, and I always though alien invasions only happened in the movies. The pod took me to this weird ship and entered through one of the doors. I had no idea what was going to happen to me, and I just prayed that someone would come and rescue me.

I saw all these weird brain-like aliens milling around and talking in some broken English. None of them addressed me, and I was glad about that because I didn't want to talk to them anyway. I just sat in my pod and listened to them talking about using humans to mutate. Now that was scary, and I was sure I was going to be next. I just wished I could go to my dad one last time and tell him I loved him.

But then, I felt the ship going down and braced myself. Was I going to die this very minute? I closed my eyes and prayed that my death would be a quick one when I landed in the water with a splash. The ship went down, too, and I really hoped those aliens were dead. I looked around and saw other humans in pods, too, cheering that they'd been released. We all waited until we floated to shore and then hurried into the city. I looked around and thought I saw the guys in turtle costumes in another pod hugging each other. Were they the reason for our rescue? I wanted to thank them, but I felt it would be better to get home before things got weird again.

I found my bike and continued my route as though nothing had happened. When I got back to the shop, Dad saw me and gave me a big hug.

"Tony, thank God you're okay," he said. "I was worried you would be missing."

"I'm fine, Dad," I said. "I did get abducted, but the ship crashed, and we were able to get back."

"Well, at least you're okay," Dad said. "I just hope none of that weird stuff happens again. Too many weird things happenin' in this city, but at least those aliens are done for. Let's close up and go home."

I nodded and left with my dad, thankful that nothing had happened to me and that I was able to live another day. As it turned out, this wasn't the only thing that would happen to me as I would experience things I never thought would ever happen to me in my life. But for now, it was just a fleeting thought, nothing more than that.

A/N: A bit on the short side here, but there wasn't much to go on here anyway. The next chapter will have Tony meeting the Turtles and having something else happen that I can't reveal right now. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Threatened by Purple Dragons

A/N: And here's the next chapter as promised. Thanks to all of those who have read and reviewed thus far. Your encouragement has been awesome and has really fueled me to continue writing. I hope you enjoy this chapter just as you have enjoyed the others.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot.

A few weeks after the alien invasion, things seemed to settle down for me and my dad. Our business was doing great, and Dad was really excited about how everyone seemed to like our pizzas. I loved my job and loved earning my own keep, which made me feel good. But then things took a turn I never expected.

It all started when Dad was going to spend some time with Uncle Gino. He didn't want to close the shop, so he asked that I be in charge of running it and giving customers their pizzas. There were some other delivery boys who were working, and they agreed to help take on the slack so that I could stay in the shop. I was a little nervous about being told to run the shop, but Dad had faith in me.

"I think you'll do fine, Tony," he said. "You're a smart boy, and you've earned this yourself. Everything will be fine. If you get into any trouble, just call me on my cell, okay?"

I nodded. "Okay, Dad," I said.

He waved at me and left, and I was left to run the shop. What had I gotten myself into?

As it turned out, things went pretty smoothly at first. I was beginning to think that everything was going to be fine until it came to the night shift. Suddenly, a group of Purple Dragons came into the store, and they didn't look too friendly. I knew them from school, and I really didn't like what they were up to.

"Hey, kid, we need to talk to your old man," the one called Fong said. "Where is he?"

"He's not here," I answered. "He left me in charge. What do you guys want with him?"

"We want some money that's what we want," Fong said, getting in my face. "Now, give us what he owes us."

I didn't know anything about what Fong was asking of me, but I remembered Dad saying that the Dragons were going around and asking for protection money from different businesses. Apparently, they'd been asking my dad for money, too. Why didn't he tell me about this?

"Look, I don't know anything," I said. "Maybe you could come back later and talk to my dad."

That wasn't good enough for the Dragons. Sid grabbed me by the shirt and pulled me close to him. "We ain't got time for games, kid," he said. "Give us the money, and no funny business."

Now I was really scared. What were they going to do with me? I had no way of telling them that I didn't know what money they were talking about.

"I don't have any money," I said. "Let me go or I'll call the police."

Instead of doing what I asked, Sid shoved a knee in my stomach, making me double over and then punched me in the face. Then the other two kept on beating me up to the point where I couldn't escape from them. There was no way out, and I knew that I was done for.

But then four figures crashed through one of the windows and surrounded the Dragons. They stopped beating me up and turned to the guys in the turtle costumes. A wave of relief swept through me. I was finally saved!

"Let him go, Fong!" the one with the blue mask ordered. He had some swords with him and was ready to duke it out with the Dragons.

"Shit, it's the Turtles!" Fong cried. "Let's get out of here!"

"Oh no you don't!" the one in the orange mask yelled. He pulled out a chain and wrapped it around Sid so that he couldn't get away. Fong tried to make a break for it, but the Turtle in the blue mask blocked him and began fighting. The one with the purple mask and the one with the red mask were dealing with Tsoi. I just watched as they fought the Dragons and defeated them. The Dragons released Sid and left as quickly as they could.

The orange masked Turtle came to my side. "You okay, little dude?" he asked. He held out a hand, and I took it as he helped me to my feet.

"Could be better," I answered, wincing as I grabbed my stomach.

"Hey, let me take a look at that," the purple masked Turtle said as he helped me to a chair. He lifted my shirt and examined my stomach. "Wow, that's quite a bruise you got there," he remarked as he began feeling my stomach. I winced but appreciated that he was concerned about me. "Doesn't look like anything's broken though," he said. "You might want to put some ice on it just in case."

"There's ice packs in the back," I said.

"I'll get it," the orange masked Turtle volunteered as he hurried to the back. He returned with an ice pack, and the purple masked Turtle placed it where Sid had kicked me.

"You better get something for that eye, too," the blue masked one remarked.

I felt for my eye and realized he was right, so Mikey went and got another ice pack for my eye. "Who are you guys?" I asked them. "How did you know I was in trouble?"

"We were patrolling and saw the Dragons come in here," the blue masked Turtle replied. "We knew they were up to no good, so we decided to investigate. Why were they here anyway?"

"They wanted money that Dad owes them I guess," I replied. "I never heard about any of this and had no idea what they were talking about."

"Sounds like they wanted protection money just like with Murakami," the purple masked Turtle remarked.

"So, what are your names?" I asked them.

"You first," the red masked Turtle said, a distrusting look in his eyes.

"I'm Tony Salini," I answered. "My dad owns the pizza place. I've seen you guys around, and you've even stolen some pizzas from me. What's the deal with the costumes anyway?"

"We're not wearing costumes," the blue masked Turtle said. "We're mutants. I'm Leonardo, but you can call me Leo."

"I'm Raphael," the red masked one said. "Raph for short."

"Donatello," the purple masked one added. "You can call me Don or Donnie for short."

"I'm Michelangelo, but the ladies call me Mikey," the orange masked one said.

"In your dreams, shell-brain," Raph scoffed, rolling his green eyes.

"Nice to meet you," I said. "Do you know anything about that alien invasion that happened here?"

"Yeah, those aliens were called the Kraang," Mikey said. "Pretty scary dudes."

"Mikey, be quiet!" Raph chastised. "Since when do we tell strangers all about this stuff?"

"He's not a stranger!" Mikey retorted. "He's been goin' through it just like us, and he needs our help before the Dragons get to him again. We can't just leave him here by himself."

"I'll be fine," I said. "Dad should be back soon."

"No, Mikey's right," Leo said. "You shouldn't be here alone. I'll stay here and keep an eye on things until your dad gets back, Tony. I'll be up on the roof so no one will see me."

"Maybe I should stay instead," Mikey offered.

"No, I can do it, Mikey," Leo told him. "You guys just go home and tell Sensei I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Okay, but be careful, bro," Raph cautioned him.

"I will, Raph," Leo replied.

The others said goodbye to me and left before I could even blink. Then Leo took his place on the roof while I waited for Dad to get back. Some customers came and got some pizza, so I was kept busy for a little while. I waited for one of them to ask me about the Turtle on the roof, but no one said a word, so they must not have noticed Leo was there. When it got quiet again, I waited for Dad to come back and was getting worried. Dad usually didn't take this long to come home.

Leo came down to check on me. "Everything okay, Tony?" he asked.

"Dad's not back yet, and I'm starting to get worried," I said. "He never visits Uncle Gino this long, and even if he's going to be late, he calls me."

"He'll probably be back soon," Leo reassured me. "I'll stick around a little longer. Don't worry about it, okay?"

"I'll try not to," I said, but I couldn't help it. This definitely wasn't like Dad to do this to me. Leo went back to the roof to keep watch, and I sat in the chair by the register to continue waiting. Something definitely wasn't right.

Suddenly, a cop car came up to the shop and parked. Two policemen got out and came in. I jumped up, thinking that maybe they wanted to order a pizza.

"Can I help you?" I asked.

"Are you Antonio Salini, Jr.?"one of them asked me.

"Yeah, I am," I answered. "What's going on?"

"Is your father Antonio Salini, Sr.?" the second one asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, he is. What's wrong?"

"We got a report of a stabbing in an alleyway," said the first policeman. "We saw the body and looked for identification. I'm sorry, but your father is gone."

A chill struck me. Gone? How could this have happened? "What do you mean he's gone?" I asked. "How did it happen?"

"He received a stab wound to the chest," the second policeman replied. "We don't know who did it because there was no one at the scene. Has there been anyone who's threatened your father?"

"Yeah, the Purple Dragons were here asking for money," I said. "They beat me up a little bit before they fled. They must have found Dad and stabbed him when he wouldn't give them what they wanted." Then the realization hit me that I was all alone. Dad wasn't coming back.

"Okay, we'll check that out," said the first policeman. "Do you have any other relatives you could stay with?"

"Yeah, I have Uncle Gino," I replied. "That's where Dad was today. I'll call him and tell him to come get me."

"Good," said the first policeman. "Your uncle may need to go and identify the body tomorrow. We'll give you directions to the morgue so he can do that." He got out a pad of paper and began writing down directions where Dad's body was. I just sat there, unable to believe that this was happening to me. I took the directions and thanked the policemen for telling me what happened, and they promised to follow up and investigate the Purple Dragons. I wasn't too optimistic that the Dragons would be caught, but I knew the cops would do their best.

Once they were gone, Leo came down. "I heard what happened," he said. "I'm so sorry, Tony. Is there anything I can do?"

"No, there's nothing, Leo," I said. "Thanks for saving me tonight. I'm gonna call Uncle Gino and have him pick me up so I can stay with him."

"I'll stay here until he comes at least," Leo offered.

I shook my head. "No, you've done enough," I said. "Just go home."

Leo refused, saying that it would be better if someone would protect me first. I called Uncle Gino and waited until I saw his car. Leo was hidden by that time, but I knew he was watching as I closed up the shop and got into Uncle Gino's car.

"Stupid Dragons," Uncle Gino muttered. "They always got to cause trouble around here, and now they took my brother's life. I swear, they're gonna pay for that one."

"I think you should leave it to the cops, Uncle Gino," I advised him. "They said they'd look into it."

"Yeah, but the cops don't always do a good job of lookin' into things," Uncle Gino told me. "They may try, but they'll never get the Dragons arrested. Even if they do, they'll still get good lawyers and get bailed out. It happens all the time."

I didn't say anything else until we got to Uncle Gino's apartment. We went inside, and I saw my cousin Gia sitting on the couch watching something on TV. She was startled when she saw me there.

"What's Tony doing here?" she demanded.

"Tony's stayin' with us," Uncle Gino said. 'Your uncle Tony was just killed by Purple Dragons, and Tony has nowhere else to go. You'll have to share your room with him."

Gia rolled her eyes. "Great, just what I need," she muttered.

"Now there won't be any of that talk in this house," Uncle Gino declared. "You treat each other with respect at all times. Tony, you'll have to use the futon in Gia's room. I know we have to go back to your apartment to get your stuff, but we can do that tomorrow after we identify your dad's body. For now, you need to get some sleep."

I nodded and followed Gia to her room. She dragged out the futon from her closet and set it near the window as far from her bed as possible. She handed me a blanket and then told me to get out while she got changed. After she was done, I lay on the futon.

"I can't believe I'm stuck with you," Gia muttered. "Of all the rotten luck."

"Why do you have to be a bitch right now?" I demanded. "Can't you be a little sympathetic for once in your life? My dad just died tonight."

"So? He probably asked for it. For all you know, he could have been with the Purple Dragons himself."

"Dad would never associate himself with the Dragons," I replied. "Don't you ever suggest such a thing ever again."

Gia rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she said. "Just go to sleep."

I closed my eyes and managed to fall asleep despite how awful I felt. I woke up in the middle of the night after an urge to go to the bathroom hit me. I did my business and noticed that Gia's bed was empty. She must have snuck out, but I hadn't heard her because I'd been in a deep sleep. I was about to lay down when I heard a noise at the window. My heart pounded because I thought it was one of the Dragons, but then I saw it was Mikey. He waved at me and motioned for me to open the window. I did so, surprised that he'd found me.

"Mikey, what are you doing here?" I demanded. "How did you find out where I was?"

"Leo followed you and your uncle so he could find out where you were living," Mikey answered. "Leo told us what happened to your dad. I'm so sorry, Tony." He threw his arms around me and gave me a hug. I was startled at first, but then I relaxed and let him hug me. It felt good to be hugged by someone.

"Look, you better not stay here long," I said. "My cousin snuck out, but she could be back any minute, and if she sees you, she'll freak out for sure."

Mikey smiled. "Relax, little dude, I'm a ninja," he said. "I can take care of myself and make sure your cousin doesn't see me. I just wanted to see how you were holding up."

"Well not good," I said. "My dad's dead, I'm stuck with my bitch of a cousin, and I don't know what's going to happen to the shop. Uncle Gino wants to keep running it, but first we have to take care of other matters like Dad's funeral and stuff like that."

"We'll take care of those Dragons for you, Tony," Mikey declared. "I promise we will."

"No, you better leave it for the cops to handle," I told him. "They already said they'll take care of it."

"Okay, but if they give you more trouble, we'll protect you," said Mikey. "Leo already asked all of us to keep an eye on you, and even Sensei agreed to it. Maybe one day you can hang out with us at the Lair. I think that would be really cool."

"I don't know about that, Mikey," I said. "I have to take care of business here first, but I would like to spend time with you guys one day."

Mikey smiled. "Sounds awesome," he said. "Well, I better get home. I'll tell everyone I saw you and that you're safe at least. One of us will keep an eye on you tomorrow when you work. We can't come out during the day, but we'll always be around at night."

"Thanks, Mikey," I told him. "You guys have been great to me, and I won't forget that. I'll see you around, okay?"

"Yeah, see you around, Tony," Mikey said. "Take care and don't hesitate to call if you need us." He gave me their numbers so that I could call them if I needed them and then left the room, giving me a smile and a wave. I smiled back, happy that someone was willing to keep tabs on me no matter what. I was lucky to have the Turtles as my friends now, and I knew they'd do everything they could to protect me.

I closed the window and settled down on my futon. Things definitely weren't looking so great right now, but I knew that things would always look better later. That's what Dad had taught me, and I knew he was telling the truth. I closed my eyes and went back to sleep, anxious to see what the next day would bring and how my life was going to be different from now on.

A/N: Wow. That was a long one. I told you the chapters would get longer, and I was right. Poor Tony's not having such a good time of it now that his dad's gone and he's got that cousin to deal with, but at least he has the Turtles on his side right now. I'm so glad you guys like this story, and I'm happy to be bringing it to you. Feel free to leave a review, and have a shelltastic day.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Saying Goodbye to Dad

A/N: Here's the next chapter of Tony's saga. This one will be a little sad, but the Turtles will show up and be in it, so don't worry about that. Thanks to all of those who have read and reviewed so far. Your kind words have been awesome and have fueled me to keep going as always. And, Guest, here's your update as promised.

Disclaimer: TMNT belongs to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and any other characters you don't recognize.

Uncle Gino didn't let me come to identify Dad's body because he said it wasn't a good place for me to be in. I was relieved because I really didn't want to see Dad like that. After Dad was identified, Uncle Gino picked me up to take me to the apartment so I could get my things. It was hard going there and seeing things that reminded me of Dad, and I knew it was going to be hard to leave this place for good. After we got my things, we went back to Uncle Gino's. Gia was watching TV and smirked when she saw me.

"So, you're really moving in?" she asked me.

"Yeah, your dad told you I was," I answered. "You got a problem with that?"

"Actually, I do," she replied. "It was so much better without you around, and I wish they would just put you in a foster home."

"Gia, that's no way to talk to your cousin!" Uncle Gino chastised. "You apologize right now."

Gia shook her head and flipped Uncle Gino the middle finger. I was astonished that she had the nerve to do that. If I had done that to my dad (I wouldn't, but let's just say I did), he would have skinned me alive. Uncle Gino was furious and dragged Gia to her room and locked the door. There was no way she was gonna get away with doing that.

"You want somethin' to eat, Tony?" Uncle Gino asked me.

"Sure," I answered.

Uncle Gino gave me some spaghetti he had made the other night, and I really thought it was good. We talked about the shop and how Uncle Gino wanted to keep it open because he figured Dad would have wanted that. He also talked about the funeral arrangements and how we would have the wake in a few days followed by the funeral. The casket was to be closed due to how my dad had been killed even though the wound would be covered. I really wasn't too keen on the funeral as it would be a sad time for me, but it had to be done. There was no getting around that.

The day was pretty lonely as Uncle Gino left to take care of the funeral arrangements for Dad. Gia was in her room, so I sat and watched a rerun of Space Heroes. It was a show Dad had liked, too, and it made me think of him and how he would always quote the show whenever it was on. A lump came to my throat, and I tried my best not to cry.

I thought about the Turtles and how I really wanted to talk to them. I needed someone to talk to, so I pulled out my phone and dialed Mikey's number. For some reason, I just felt the need to talk to him first. It rang a few times before he picked up.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Hey, Mikey, it's Tony," I said. "You said I could call you if I needed you."

"Yeah, I remember," Mikey said. "So, what's up, Tony?"

"Nothing, just feeling lonely right now," I replied. "Uncle Gino's doing the arrangements for my dad's funeral, and Gia's in her room. She gave Uncle Gino the middle finger, and he punished her by sending her there."

"Sounds like something Raph would do," Mikey laughed. "No, actually, he wouldn't because Sensei would probably beat him to a pulp with his walking stick."

I laughed with him. "Your sensei sounds like a pretty tough guy," I remarked.

"Yeah, he can be tough when he needs to be, but he's a great dad, too," Mikey answered. "Oh, crud, I'm sorry. I know it has to be hard to hear the D word when you've lost yours."

"No, it's okay, Mikey," I told him. "I can handle it. I really wish you guys could be with me for the wake and the funeral."

"What's a wake?" Mikey asked.

"That's where you view the body of the deceased," I answered. "Then the next day you bury them in the cemetery, though some people like to be cremated instead. That's where you burn the remains into ashes and store the ashes in an urn."

"Wait, you view the dead body?!" Mikey gasped. "Dude, no offense, but that's kind of sick. Why would you want to do that?"

"It's about paying your respects to the deceased," I explained. I wasn't offended by Mikey's remarks because I knew he just didn't know about these things like I did. I decided it would be best to change the subject. "So, what are you guys doing?"

"Not much," Mikey responded. "Just hangin' out. Leo's watching another episode of Space Heroes."

"So am I," I said. "It's one of my favorites."

"Wait, you like Space Heroes?"

"Yeah, my dad and I used to watch it all the time," I told him. "It was the only other show besides the news, football, baseball, and wrestling that he'd watch."

"Dude, Leo's gonna love you," Mikey said. Then I heard him yell, "Hey, Leo, I'm talking to Tony, and he's a Space Heroes fan like you!"

I heard footsteps and then heard Leo's voice on the other end. "Tony, is that you?" he asked.

"Yeah, how are you doing, Leo?" I asked him.

"Pretty good," he answered. "I didn't know you were a Spacenik like me. That's so cool."

"Yeah, Dad and I used to watch it all the time," I told him. "It kind of makes me think about him. He used to quote the show all the time whenever we'd watch it."

"Yeah, I do that, too," Leo told me. "It drives my brothers crazy when I do though."

I laughed. "Yeah, I bet it does," I said. "Mom would often get mad at us for watching it. She said it wasn't a very good show for me to watch, but Dad never listened to her."

"You feeling okay, Tony?" Leo asked me. "I know this has to be a hard time for you."

"I'm hanging in there," I told him. "The wake will be in a few days and then it'll be the funeral. I just wish you guys could be there."

"Yeah, but we can't go out in daylight," Leo reminded me. "Still, we'll be with you in spirit, and you can always call us afterward. Maybe we could come get you and hang out."

"I'd like that, Leo," I said. "Look, I'd better get going before Uncle Gino gets home. I'll talk to you guys later, okay?"

"Okay, Tony, take care," Leo said. "Bye."

"Bye," I answered as I hung up. I was glad I had talked to the Turtles because I began to feel better about things. I knew that if I needed them, they'd be there in a heartbeat. There were still a few things I didn't know about them, and I was anxious to ask them about how they came to be mutants. However, this wasn't the time for that, and I could always ask them later. I continued watching Space Heroes until it was over and then watched the news, though I really didn't want to. Gia was still in her room, and I was glad I didn't have t put up with her. There was just no way I was going to deal with her attitude anymore.

22222

A few days later, we had the wake and then the funeral. A lot of people showed up, mostly relatives I hadn't seen in a long time as well as people from the pizza place. Everyone gave me their sympathies as if that would make things better, but they didn't. There was an emptiness inside me that wasn't going away no matter how hard I tried to drive it away. I wanted to reassure myself that Dad was in a better place, but I even had my doubts about that. Dad had always tried to teach me about God and how loving He was, but how could a loving God allow bad people to hurt others? I was beginning to think that everything I had known about God was just a big fat lie. If He really cared about us, he would have struck those Purple Dragons down before they even could hurt my dad. Maybe then things would have been better. But instead, He let those Dragons kill my father and didn't do a thing about it. Some loving God He was.

After everything was over, I went home with Uncle Gino and Gia, who had actually behaved during both the wake and the funeral. I was waiting for her to say something mean, but she didn't. Maybe she was remembering her own mother's funeral and how sad it was to lose a parent. The only difference is that Aunt Teresa died from cancer instead of getting stabbed by gang members.

I looked at my phone and saw that the Turtles had left me some voice messages sending their condolences and promising to be there if I needed them. It made me feel good to know they were looking out for me and that they were sorry for my loss. At least someone was there for me during this time.

22222

I visited my dad's grave once more after the funeral. It just made me mad to know that he wouldn't be there anymore and that I had to put up with Gia. Why didn't he just give the Dragons their money? If he had, this never would have happened to him. It just wasn't fair.

That night, I climbed up to the roof of the building. I had never been up there before, but I needed a place to think. Luckily, Gia was out again, so I didn't have to explain myself to her. I was just sitting there when I saw the Turtles leaping on the rooftops across from me. Leo saw me and motioned for the others to follow him toward me.

"Hey, Tony what are you doing out here?" he asked me.

"I just needed a place to think," I answered.

"You okay, kid?" Raph asked me.

"Not particularly," I told him. "I just want to know when the hell the grief will go away. I'm sick of feeling this way all the time. Every time I think of my dad, I just want to cry my eyes out. It's not fair that he's gone and I have to be all alone." I felt the tears come and did my best to hide them from the Turtles.

I felt Mikey come beside me and put an arm around me. "Dude, it's okay to cry," he said.

"And the grief will go away eventually," Donnie reassured me. "It just takes time. Being sad now is okay because it shows that you care for your dad."

"I know, but I hate it," I answered. "Everyone was acting like everything was going to be okay, but they don't know anything. They kept saying to me, 'At least he's in a better place now.' Yeah, right. He had a better place here. If God really was real, He wouldn't have let Dad die like that."

The Turtles exchanged looks and didn't say anything. Mikey continued to rub my back until I stopped crying. Then they all pulled me into a hug, which made me feel better. I liked the Turtles, and it was so good having them there to support me.

"Thanks, guys," I whispered.

Raph ruffled my hair. "Don't mention it, kiddo," he said. "We'll be there for you if you need us."

"Well, guys, we'd better get home," Leo said. "Tony, you need to get back into bed before your cousin comes back. Where does she go anyway?"

"No idea," I answered. "But one thing I do know is that she's probably up to no good."

"I wouldn't worry about her, Tony," Leo reassured me. "Just concentrate on you for now. Go get some sleep. We'll see you later."

"Yeah, see you later," I said. I watched as the Turtles left until they were out of sight then made my way back down to the room I shared with Gia. I lay down in bed and closed my eyes. Sure, things hadn't been going well lately, but maybe things were looking up as long as I had the Turtles with me. I was still bothered about Gia and what she did, but I would soon find out exactly what she was doing, and it was something I would have never believed she'd do.

A/N: So, that's the end of that chapter. There's not much else for me to say except that I liked writing the scene with the Turtles and Tony on the rooftop. It was just such a nice little scene to write. So, what is Gia up to, and why is she acting so oddly? You'll find out in the next chapter. In the meantime, feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Stabbed By My Cousin

A/N: Wow. I'm on a roll with this. Thanks to all of those who have read and reviewed so far. Here's the answer to what Gia's doing and how it will affect Tony. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Disclaimer: TMNT belongs to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and the characters you don't recognize.

After the funeral, I returned to work because I figured it was the best thing to do. Business was still booming, and Uncle Gino was pleased with how things were turning out. I continued to deliver pizzas, and was even receiving some compliments from customers about my work. That pleased Uncle Gino, and he was glad that he had kept me on.

Nothing weird had happened to me so far, but that wasn't going to last long. I was working the night shift and I was driving to an apartment, I passed one of the alleys where the Purple Dragons hung out all the time. I didn't think much of it until they blocked my way, and I had to stop before I ran them over.

"Hey, what's the big idea?" I asked. "I'm trying to work."

"I think you owe us some pizzas, kid," Fong said. "Hey, how's your old man? Oh, wait, we killed him. Now give us those pizzas, or you'll be next."

I gritted my teeth when Fong said they'd killed my dad. There was no way I was letting them take my pizzas either. "No," I said. "Now, get out of my way."

"Looks like this kid's got guts," Sid replied. "Maybe our new recruit should do this job."

"Good idea," Fong said. He motioned in the shadows, and a girl stepped forward. I gasped as I saw her face as she approached me.

"Gia, what are you doing with them?" I asked her.

"I want to be where I belong," she answered. "I've been bullied for too long, and now it's time for me to take matters into my own hands."

"But these guys killed your uncle," I told her. "They could kill you, too."

"I doubt that," she said. "They killed your dad because he didn't give them what they wanted. I think these pizzas will make up for that." She snatched the pizzas from my bike and pushed me off, causing me to fall to the ground hard.

"Hey, knock it off!" I yelled.

"I think we need to teach this kid what happens when you mess with the Dragons," Tsoi said. He and Sid pulled me to my feet and Fong began punching me. I struggled, but there was no way I was going to get out of this mess.

Then I heard someone yell, "Booyakasha!" and turned to see Mikey jumping down from a building with his weapons in hand followed by his brothers. Gia made for them, but Mikey took her down fast followed by Fong.

"Let Tony go!" Leo ordered.

The Dragons laughed at Leo's tone. "Sure, we'll let him go," Tsoi said and shoved me to the ground.

Leo lunged at Tsoi and began engaging him in battle while Raph handled Sid. Don was taking care of Fong, while Mikey was engaged in battle with Gia. I had no idea Gia could fight like that but she was handling herself pretty well against Mikey. Had she been training all this time? I sat and watched the battle, wondering what was going to happen now. I was saved, and I was glad that the Turtles had come to the rescue again.

Suddenly the tide turned as Tsoi managed to knock one of Leo's swords out of his hands. Gia knocked Mikey back and turned to grab Leo's sword. With a smile on her face, she made to stab Leo with his own sword. Seeing what she was about to do, I lunged and managed to knock Leo out of the way. I felt the sword go into my side and gasped as the pain overtook me.

"Tony, no!" cried Leo. He caught me before I could fall to the ground. Gia had a shocked look on her face, but she didn't stop to help me. Raph managed to get rid of Sid and lunged at Gia next, ready to take her head off.

"Guys, we gotta go!" Don yelled. "Tony's bleeding."

"Let's take him to a hospital," Leo suggested.

"There's no time," Don answered. "There's a manhole over there. We'll take him to the Lair and patch him up there."

Leo took out an object that looked like an egg and threw it on the ground. There was a puff of smoke, and before I knew it, I was underground with the Turtles.

"Dude, let's take the sword out now," Mikey suggested.

"If we do that now, Tony could bleed out," Don told him. "We have to wait until we get to the Lair first."

"Tony, are you still with us?" asked Raph.

"Yeah, it hurts like crazy though," I said. "Why can't you just get it out?"

"We don't want you to bleed to death," Leo answered. "We're almost there, Tony. Hang in there." I could tell he was upset that it was his weapon that had hurt me, and while I wanted to reassure him that everything would be okay, the pain prevented me from really saying anything.

Once we reached the Lair, the Turtles leaped over the turnstiles and hurried me to their living area. I would have loved to look at everything that was there, but my wound was throbbing too much for me to concentrate on anything else. Don hurried to his lab and got his first aid kit which consisted of a toolbox.

"Okay, Mikey, I want you to get some gauze out of the first aid kit," Don instructed. "Leo, I want you to hold Tony and try to make him focus on something while I get your katana out of him. Leo, are you listening to me?"

Leo snapped out of his daze and nodded. "Yeah, I heard you, Donnie," he said. Then he focused on me. "Tony, I want you to focus on my face and my voice, okay? Don's going to pull out my sword, and it's going to hurt, so just stay with me. Got that?"

I nodded and focused on Leo's dark blue eyes. He kept talking to me softly and reassuring me that everything was okay. I wanted to close my eyes, but something told me to stay right there with Leo, so I did.

"Okay, Mikey, when I pull out the katana, I want you to cover the wound with the gauze and put pressure on it," Don told him.

"Got it," Mikey said. He looked pale but determined to do his part just the same.

"Tony, I'm going to count to three and then pull the sword out," Don told me. "Ready?"

I nodded, ready to have this thing out of me.

"One, two, three," Don counted and yanked the sword out. I gasped and tried to arch my body, but Leo held me in place. Then Mikey put the gauze on the wound and held it there as the blood poured over it. I could tell Mikey was feeling sick and was sorry that he had to do this. Still, he kept pressure on the wound and looked at my face instead. Don had more gauze out and replaced the soaked gauze with more and bandaged the wound tightly.

"Is he gonna be okay, Donnie?" Leo asked him in a small voice.

"He'll be fine, Leo," Don reassured him. "The cut wasn't too deep, and no organs were damaged. He might need stitches, but this will have to do for now."

I wondered where Raph had gotten to until I saw him coming with someone else. I gasped as I saw a rat dressed in a kimono. He had to be at least six feet tall, and I realized that this was the Turtles' sensei.

"How are you feeling, young man?" he asked me.

"I'm okay now, sir," I answered.

"Tony, this is Master Splinter, our father and sensei," Raph introduced him. "Sensei, this is Tony, the kid we were tellin' you about."

"It is nice to make your acquaintance, Tony," Splinter said. "I am sorry that such a thing had to happen to you, but it was a good thing my sons were there to rescue you."

"Yeah, they swung it for me," I said with a smile.

"Leonardo, why are you so troubled?" Splinter asked as he looked at the blue masked Turtle.

"It's my fault Tony got hurt," he said. "I wasn't aware that he was in harm's way."

"Leo, it wasn't your fault," I assured him. "Gia was trying to stab you, and I pushed you out of the way and took the hit."

"But it was still my weapon that hurt you," Leo replied.

"Yes, but you did not wield it, my son," Splinter told him. "Do not blame yourself for what happened, Leonardo. It is something that could have happened at any time."

"Well it was nice seeing you guys again and meeting you, Master Splinter," I said. "But I have to get going before Uncle Gino gets mad."

"Tony, you can't go anywhere just yet," Don insisted as he pushed me back down. "You were just stabbed."

"But if I don't go home, Uncle Gino's gonna have a fit," I protested.

"Maybe you should just call him and tell him where you are," Leo suggested. "You can assure him you're safe so he won't worry."

I wasn't too keen on this idea, but I knew that if I tried to go home, the Turtles would make sure I stayed there. So I picked up my phone and called Uncle Gino to tell him I was staying with some friends and not to worry. He was relieved to hear I was okay and said it was fine if I wanted to stay the night. He asked if I'd seen Gia, and I hesitated. I wanted to tell him what Gia was doing and who she was with, but I knew if I did, she'd just deny everything and make me look stupid.

"I don't know, Uncle Gino," I said. "I haven't seen her."

"Okay, well, you take care, Tony," Uncle Gino said. "Who are these friends, anyway?"

"They're friends from the neighborhood," I said. "They're brothers who are pretty good kids. They hate the Purple Dragons and stopped them from robbing me."

"Oh, well, that's good, Tony," Uncle Gino told me. "You keep out of trouble, you hear?"

"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"You got it," he said. "See you tomorrow."

I hung up, happy that Uncle Gino wasn't acting too suspicious about my friends. I knew that I couldn't keep the secret for much longer, and I just hoped the Turtles wouldn't hate me for it.

"Now it is time for bed," Splinter declared. "It has been a trying day for all of you, and training begins early tomorrow."

The Turtles bowed to their father and wished me a good night. Leo came back with a Space Heroes blanket and tucked it around me. I remember I used to have one until Mom gave it away at a garage sale. I settled down to sleep and felt content that I was safe from the Purple Dragons.

22222

Later that night I heard someone crying out in their sleep and bolted up, wincing as I remembered my wound. I heard Raph going into someone's room and soothing them. Then I saw Leo emerge with Raph next to him.

"Leo, are you okay?" I asked him.

"Tony, I didn't know you were up," he said. "Yeah, I just had a bad dream. Raph and I were just talking. You can go back to sleep if you want."

"Aren't you going back to sleep, too?" I asked.

"Yeah, but Raph and I are going to spar for a bit," Leo answered. "It's one of the ways we calm down after a nightmare."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Leo," I said. "My dad always said it's better to talk about your problems instead of bottling them up inside."

Leo looked at me and then sighed. "Yeah, maybe you're right," he said. "I just dreamed that you got stabbed and that you didn't make it. It scared me, and I wasn't sure if it was real or not. Do you ever have dreams like that?"

"Yeah, I have," I said. "After Dad died, I dreamed about it at night and that I had witnessed it. But I usually just woke up and tried to calm myself down since I couldn't talk to anyone about it."

"Well, now you can talk to us if you ever get that way again," Leo told him. "Thanks for the pep talk, Tony."

"Do you think you can go back to sleep now?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I think I can," he answered.

"Great," I said. "See you tomorrow, Leo."

"Goodnight, Tony," Leo and Raph both said as they left for their rooms.

I settled back down and closed my eyes. I had an idea for something I wanted to do, but I decided to talk to the Turtles and Splinter about it tomorrow. I wasn't sure if they'd let me do it, but I had to try because I wanted to learn to defend myself. There was no way I was going to be a target for the Purple Dragons any longer. With that thought in my head, I drifted off to sleep, dreaming about kicking the Dragons' butts and showing them who was boss.

A/N: And another chapter is finished. I really hope I didn't mess up on the wound stuff, but if I did, please don't be mad at me. So, will Tony be able to learn to defend himself, or will the Turtles refuse his offer? Find out in the next chapter. In the meantime, feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Katas and Questions

A/N: Yep, I'm back with another chapter. I swear, I'm getting a good vibe for where this story's going, and it makes me happy. I never thought a story would take such shape so fast like this one has, and I just hope I can keep it up and make sure I don't have writer's block. Thanks to all of those who have read and reviewed. I love your kind words. And, Guest, Tony rocks. Thanks for the review. Here's the next chapter.

Disclaimer: TMNT belongs to Nick. I only own the plot.

I slept well for the rest of the night and was awakened when the Turtles woke up. It was pretty early, and I wondered if we were going to have breakfast, but no one went to the kitchen just yet. I was surprised and wondered what was going on.

"Good morning, Tony," Leo greeted me. "Did you sleep well?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I did," I answered. "So, when do we have breakfast?"

"Not until after practice is over," Leo answered. "We always train first and then eat afterwards. If we ate first we'd have to let our stomachs settle before performing the katas."

"Oh, I see," I said. "Do you guys mind if I watch?"

Mikey smiled and patted my shoulder. "Not at all, little dude," he said. "You can watch me kick some serious butt."

I laughed and followed them to their dojo. My side was still a little sore, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. I saw Splinter sitting and waiting for his students to enter. They bowed to him and knelt in front of him. I stayed on the sidelines and watched to see what would happen.

"You have done well, my sons," commented Splinter. "Today we will be covering the basics as you have all endured a difficult battle."

"That battle was nothing," scoffed Raph. "Just some Purple Dragons lookin' for trouble. We wiped them out good."

"Yes, but someone was hurt in the process," replied Splinter. "That is something that has taken a toll on your minds. You will all start with warm up katas and then spar two on two. Leonardo, you will spar with Raphael, and Michelangelo will spar with Donatello."

The Turtles bowed to him and got up, ready to do what Splinter asked them to do.

"Hajime!" Splinter barked and then called out a series of katas. The Turtles all flowed in formation as he called out the movements, and I was amazed by their technique and how graceful they were. They really were a pretty good team.

Once they were done, Splinter called out, "Yame!" and directed them to spar, signaling them to begin again. I was floored by how competitive they got with each other though they all were trying to be good natured. As I watched them, it made me think that maybe I could do that, too. If I could learn to be a ninja, the Purple Dragons would leave me alone for sure, and I wouldn't have to put up with Gia's constant attitude. I would just take her down with a kick.

When the sparring was over, Leo and Mikey were the victors and faced off together. I could tell Leo had a bruise from where Raph hit him, but he was doing his best to hide the pain. Raph came and sat down next to me, though he didn't talk. I guessed that the rules were that no one could talk while there was a match going on, so I didn't say anything either. Leo won the match and helped Mikey up as they bowed to each other.

"Well done, Leonardo," praised Splinter. "You fought a good match. Michelangelo, you did well, too, though it would be more prudent for you to not yell as many insults while in the midst of battle."

"But, Sensei, you always tell us that distraction is a good form of defense," Mikey protested. "I'm just distracting in my own way."

Splinter smiled. "Yes, I have said that, but you must remember not to lose focus during your battle," he warned him.

"Hai, Sensei," Mikey said, giving his father a bow.

"Training is finished for the morning," Splinter declared. "You may go eat some breakfast."

Mikey shot out of the dojo as soon as Splinter dismissed them. Raph helped me to my feet and started walking with me as we exited the dojo.

"So, what did you think of our session, Tony?" he asked.

"That was awesome, guys," I said. "I knew you guys were good, but that was just amazing. I hope Leo will be okay though."

"He'll be fine," Raph assured me. "I know I sometimes get carried away and hit too hard, but I try my best to stay in control. It's just a little bruise and it'll clear up in no time. Look, I'm gonna go take a shower first then I'll see you in the kitchen." He patted my shoulder and headed to the bathroom only to discover that Mikey was in there singing some song way off key. I tried to place the song and realized it was "When I Grow Up" by The Pussycat Dolls. I laughed at the thought that Mikey would know that song, even though he had the lyrics messed up on one part. I decided it would be funny to correct him, so when he came out, I said, "Nice singing, Mikey. I didn't know you liked to sing in the shower."

Mikey smiled. "Yeah, sometimes I just get carried away," he said.

"Well, you did mess up the lyrics a bit," I said. "It's groupies not boobies."

"It is?" Mikey asked, tilting his head a bit. "I always thought it was boobies."

"I thought that, too, when I heard it, but then I listened to it closer," I said. "Don't worry you'll get it right next time."

After the other Turtles took their showers, it was time for breakfast. Mikey was making omelettes, and they turned out pretty good when they were done. I ate mine and then decided it was time to ask some questions.

"So, how did you guys become mutants?" I asked.

Splinter smiled and told me the story of his own life back in Japan and how he had come to America. The whole story fascinated me, though there some things I felt he was keeping from me just the same. He told the story of how he'd bought four pet turtles and how they had become mutated into what they are. The story was awesome and something I probably would have read in a comic book.

I said no more and listened as the Turtles talked about other things. I wanted to ask Splinter another question, but I waited until breakfast was over and the Turtles were doing their own thing. I approached the rat, who was sitting in the dojo under the tree.

"Sensei, can I ask you something?" I asked him.

Splinter smiled as he looked at me. "I can already tell what you want to ask," he said. "You would like to learn how to defend yourself."

I was amazed. "How did you know that?" I gasped. Was he some sort of mind reader?

"I can just tell by the look on your face," he replied. "I saw the look in your eyes as you watched my sons training."

I hadn't realized that Splinter had been looking at me while the Turtles had been training. Was I that easy to read?

"Well, I think it would be a good idea since I've already come up against the Purple Dragons once before," I replied. "I just don't want to get hurt again, and I want to show them that I can take care of myself. The job I have can be dangerous."

Splinter nodded. "Yes, I see what you mean," he said. "Normally, I would be very hesitant to teach you the art of ninjitsu. It takes great dedication and will drain you mentally, physically, and spiritually. I have already begun to train April as a kunoichi, but if you would like to learn and are willing to commit to this, I will teach you as well."

"I'm definitely willing," I replied.

"You say that now, but you must also show that you are willing, Tony," he told me. "This will be a test of your willpower, and I want to see you commit to it fully. There are also the conflicts of school and work as I do not want to take you away from either commitment. Education is important for you, and your job is also a very important thing. We will have to work around both of them."

"I can do that," I said. "I'll be working nights once school starts back up from our break, but I can always come down on the weekends if I don't work during that time."

"That sounds like a good idea," Splinter answered. "However, we will see how it goes. If your grades slip or there are problems at work, I may have to stop training you until things improve. See to it that you do not neglect your other duties."

"I won't, Sensei," I answered. "So, when do we begin?"

"We will begin once you are healed," he responded. "For now, you should go home so that your uncle will not worry about you. I will have Leonardo escort you home."

I nodded. "Thanks, Sensei." I bowed to him and left the dojo. "Hey, guys, I'm going to train to be a ninja just like you," I told them.

"That's great, Tony," Leo said. "Do you think you'll be able to do it?"

"I think so," I said. "I can't let the Dragons get the best of me again."

"Well, as long as you can handle it, I think it's a good idea," Leo told me.

"I better get home before Uncle Gino gets worried," I said. "Splinter said you're supposed to escort me, Leo."

"Sounds good," Leo said. "We'd better get going so you can get there in plenty of time."

"Nice seeing you guys again, and thanks for saving me."

"No problem, Tony," Mikey said. "Come back again."

"Oh, I'll be back," I said. Don and Raph said goodbye to me as Leo and I left the Lair.

"So, what did Sensei say when you asked him if you could learn to be a ninja?" Leo asked me.

"He just said it would take a lot of dedication and that I had to be prepared for it. He said he's been training someone named April to be a kunoichi. What's that mean?"

"A kunoichi is a female ninja," Leo explained.

"Oh, I see. Wait, is her last name O'Neil?"

Leo nodded. "Yeah, it is," he answered. "Do you know her?"

"Yeah, I do. I've seen her in school, and she even stole my pizza bike while I was out on a delivery. She was being chased by some chick with black and blonde hair. I wanted to do something, but I didn't know what to do."

Leo hissed when I mentioned that. "Karai," he muttered.

"Who's Karai?"

"One of our enemies and a deadly kunoichi herself," he answered. "That must have been when April was running from her. At least she was able to escape."

"But why was Karai after her?" April didn't seem like a bad person, and I couldn't see anyone wanting to hurt her.

"Probably because she was in league with us," Leo answered. "I guess Shredder wanted her for something, though April never found out what that was. Shredder is another one of our enemies and Splinter's rival. They were friends back when Splinter was human." Then he told me the story of how Splinter lost everything one night due to Shredder's hate.

"Wow that sounds rough," I whispered.

"Yeah, it is," Leo told me. "Sensei told me that he's learned some things from Shredder after their last battle, but he won't tell me what."

"Do you think he'll ever tell you?"

"I hope so," said Leo. "I don't want him to hold it in. But I know if I ask him, he won't tell me, so I just have to be patient."

"Yeah, I think Gia's hiding something, too, and I really want to know what it is," I said.

"Well, you already know she's in the Purple Dragons," Leo replied.

"I know, but I think she's the one who killed my dad. I mean, she's being initiated, and the Dragons make the new recruits do different things. Maybe they ask people to kill others, and Gia wanted to be one of them so much she just did it."

"That's a pretty heavy accusation," Leo remarked. "Do you think she'd tell the truth?"

I shook my head. "Gia always lies, so I know I can't ask her straight out. I'm just going to have to see if I can catch her in the act of telling someone about it. She's so careless she's bound to spill her guts sometime."

"Just be careful, Tony," Leo warned me. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"I'll be fine, Leo," I reassured him. "You don't have to worry about me."

"Well, here we are," Leo declared. "I'll go up first and make sure the coast is clear. Then I'll escort you via rooftops till we get to your apartment so that I know you're safe."

"Sounds good to me."

Leo went up first and then indicated that I could climb out. I followed him into one of the alleys where he climbed a fire escape to the roof. I walked on my own, wishing that he could be beside me so we could talk more, but I wasn't confident about jumping rooftops, though I knew I'd have to do it sometime as part of my training. Still, it was nice to know that he was looking out for me. When we reached my apartment, I wave to him and went inside. Gia was sitting in the living room watching some dumb reality show on TV.

"Where have you been?" she demanded like she was my parent.

"Out with some friends," I answered. "Where's Uncle Gino?"

"He left to take care of some business," she replied. "So, when you say you were out with friends, do you mean those freaks that rescued you the other day?"

I glared at her. "They're not freaks," I insisted. "And at least they're doing something good for the city unlike your pathetic friends."

"The Dragons are not pathetic," she responded. "At least they follow their own rules and not the rules of the stupid world. At least they care about me."

"You have a father who cares about you, too," I told her. Why couldn't se be thankful for what she had?

"No, he doesn't," she said. "He cares about you more because you don't have any parents. I can't wait to get out of here and be away from all of this."

I shook my head but said nothing else. It was obvious to me that Gia didn't care about anyone but herself. I went upstairs to our shared bedroom and just sat on my futon trying to work out everything. I knew there was more going on with Gia than she was letting on, and I was determined to find out what even if she couldn't tell me. I also thought about the lessons I was going to have with Splinter. He told me that I was to start tomorrow by observing the Turtles first, and since I knew I didn't have to work the day shift, I figured it would work out to have a few hours of practice before I started for work. I was still tired, so I fell asleep, dreaming that I was battling the Dragons with the Turtles and that I had defeated them my first time. I knew it wasn't going to be real, but it was still nice to imagine. I just hoped that I'd turn into a true warrior and show everyone that I wasn't just some pizza guy with no parents. I had a purpose in life, and I believed that befriending the Turtles and learning to be a ninja was what I was made to do.

A/N: So, that's another chapter done. Yep, Gia's up to something, and we'll find out more about that in the next chapter. So, did she kill Tony's dad? You'll find out soon enough. The next chapter will deal with Tony learning new skills courtesy of Master Splinter. In the meantime, feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Learning New Things

A/N: Here's the next chapter as promised. Thanks to all of those who have read and reviewed this story so far. Your kind words and encouragement are great for me to see. I hope you enjoy this chapter, too. Here we go.

Disclaimer: TMNT is owned by Nick. I only own the plot of the story and other characters not associated with TMNT.

I started my lessons the next day. Splinter had said I couldn't do anything until I was healed, but he still wanted me to observe the Turtles and their movements, so I did. It looked so easy to them, and I wondered if it would be easy for me, too. After practice was over, Splinter kept me back to teach me how to meditate. I thought it was kind of pointless, but Splinter told me that learning to clear my mind would be a good thing for me. I closed my eyes as he told me to do and did my best to clear my thoughts. The first though I had was of my parents and what they would think of me befriending mutants. Then my next thought was about Gia and what she was doing for the Dragons. I did my best to banish this thought, but it wouldn't go away no matter how I tried to clear it.

"You are not focused, Tony," Splinter chastised. "Focus is essential in meditation."

"I'm trying, but I can't seem to get rid of this thought," I complained.

"You can if you focus," Splinter urged. "Try it again."

I did as he asked, but it still wasn't working. Frustrated, I gave up with an exasperated sigh. "I'll never get it," I muttered.

Splinter put a paw on my shoulder. "It will take time, but you will get it, Tony," he reassured me. "If you are patient, it will come. That is all for today."

I stood up and bowed to him before leaving the dojo. Leo was settled in front of the TV as an episode of Space Heroes was starting, and I moved to join him.

"Oh, this is one of my favorite episodes," I told him.

"It's mine, too," Leo replied.

We watched as Captain Ryan was in the midst of a battle with an alien monster and was stuck in his clutches.

"I can't seem to get out of this one," he said to himself.

Meanwhile, Crankshaw was in a panic. "Captain Ryan is losing the battle!" he yelled. "What are we going to do?"

Dr. Mindstrong slapped Crankshaw just as Captain Ryan would have done. "Pull yourself together, Commander," he chastised. "We must help him out."

"But how? There's no way we can defeat that alien."

"Think about what Captain Ryan would do, Commander," Dr. Mindstrong advised.

Crankshaw took a moment and then stood up. He grabbed a laser gun and shot it at the alien, causing the monster to release Captain Ryan before the monster died.

"Captain, thank the stars you're okay," Crankshaw said.

"Well, I would have been fine, but it was your bravery that saved the day, Commander," Captain Ryan told him. "You have proven yourself today."

"Captain, do you mean that I get to take your place when you can no longer be captain?" Crankshaw asked hopefully.

"No, it just means you won't have to do laundry duty for a few weeks," Captain Ryan replied.

"Man, that's a bum deal," I said as I watched the credits roll.

"Yeah, I would think he'd get a better reward than that," Leo agreed.

"I just can't believe you like this show, too, Tony," Raph commented. "I really thought you were better than that."

"Raph, lay off of him," Leo scolded. "Just because he likes Space Heroes doesn't make him a bad person."

"No, but it does make him insane," Raph replied.

"Hey, what's with the other turtle?" I asked as I spotted a small turtle on Raph's shoulder. I hadn't seen the little guy before on my first visit.

"Oh, this is Spike," Raph said. "He's my pet turtle. I rescued him when he got lost in the sewer."

"He's pretty cool," I commented. "I never got to have a pet of my own." I patted Spike on his head, and he seemed to like it.

"Yeah, he's a good turtle," said Raph.

"So, how did meditation go, Tony?" Leo asked me.

"Not good," I answered. "I just can't seem to get rid of my thoughts."

"You'll get it one day, Tony," Mikey reassured me, coming in with some pizza on a plate. "Want some? It's anchovies, jelly beans, and mushrooms."

I wrinkled my nose. "No thanks," I replied. "I'll stick with regular pepperoni thank you."

This didn't deter Mikey in the slightest. "More for me," he said as he popped a slice in his mouth.

"I believe it is time for Tony to go home," Splinter declared. "Raphael, you may escort him this time."

Splinter made it clear he didn't want me to spend too much time away from home. I was disappointed that Leo wasn't going to escort me this time because I really liked talking to him. I found out that Raph was very different from his blue-clad brother. He didn't talk much about himself or anything in particular. It was almost like he didn't want to take me home.

"So, why do you hate Space Heroes?" I asked him.

"I just think it's stupid," Raph replied. "Pro wrestling's way better than that."

"Wait, you like pro wrestling? So do I."

"Wow, I never knew that," Raph said. "Who's your favorite wrestler?"

"I really like John Cena right now," I said. "He's just so dedicated to the business and doesn't let anything get in the way of performing. I really respected him when he had that neck surgery and still came to the arena as if nothing had happened."

"Yeah, that was pretty cool, but I prefer Triple H myself," Raph told me. "He's just so ruthless and doesn't take any shit from anybody."

"I know what you mean, especially now," I said. "Randy Orton's another favorite of mine. I kind of wish he and Triple H would get back together and be unstoppable."

"So do I, but I doubt it'll happen like that," Raph said. "I like what they're doing with the current feud though."

"Do you think Daniel Bryan is worthy to be WWE champion?" I asked him.

"He's good, but I don't think he's quite there yet," Raph answered.

"But he's worked really hard to get to the top," I protested. "That has to count for something."

"Yeah, but when you're champ, you have to remember that everyone's gunnin' for you and you have to be ready for that," Raph explained. "I don't think Daniel is there yet as far as bein' able to face the pressure of everyone wanting a shot at his title. I think he'd crack under the pressure right now. Orton's the right guy for it because he's been there before and can handle it."

"You have a point there, but I still wish they would have given it to Bryan," I told him.

"Well, time will tell how they deal with it, but it should make for a good story. Hey, Tony, you're not so bad after all."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean there's more to you than just liking Space Heroes," Raph said. "Sometimes I think that's all Leo cares about."

"That's not true," I said. "He cares about all of you guys. Maybe he just uses Space Heroes to wind down from the pressures of being the leader."

Raph smiled. "You may be onto something there," he said. "Just don't tell Leo I said anything about it."

"I won't," I promised.

We got to the apartment in record time, and I headed inside. Gia was in her room, so I sat down and watched some TV. I wasn't sure when Uncle Gino was going to be back from his business conference, but I knew I still had to work tonight. I went to the kitchen and got a bag of chips to eat along with a sandwich. I was anxious to being my real training, but I knew I couldn't do it until I healed from my stab wound. It was something that really made me mad and impatient. Maybe I was more like Raph than I thought.

22222

I thought it would take forever for my wound to heal, but in no time it cleared up and I was able to begin my training. We started with basic punches and kicks, though I was anxious to learn some of the other moves and, more importantly, to get a weapon of my own. Splinter said it would be a long time before I earned my weapon and that learning the basics was more important first. I wanted to disagree, but I knew he was the master and knew a lot more than I did about this, so I decided not to question him.

Later while I was hanging out with Raph, Leo, and Mikey, Don came rushing from his lab, his eyes bright with excitement.

"Guys, April just texted me that the Purple Dragons are by an electronics story on Delancy," he reported. "We should definitely check it out."

"I'll go with you," I said, excited to see what I could do.

"No, you are to stay here, Tony," Splinter replied. "It is too dangerous for you to go into battle as you have not learned enough."

"Sensei, I'm not going to fight them," I said. "You've told me that the important thing is to observe what the Turtles do. So, if I go out there and see what they do, I might learn something." Of course there was more to it than that, but I wasn't going to tell Splinter exactly what my plan was.

Splinter considered my words. "Very well, you may observe," he said. "But under no circumstances are you allowed to fight them. Understood?"

"Hai, Sensei," I said bowing to him.

We left shortly after that and saw the Dragons just as Don reported. To my delight, Gia was among them, and I knew that I could get some information out of her if she'd just spill it. The Turtles watched as the Dragons began to talk.

"You ready for this, Gia?" Fong asked her.

"I'm more than ready," she said.

"Yeah, you've proven yourself already," Fong said. "The way you stabbed your uncle was proof that you're a Dragon through and through and that you only have one family when you're a Dragon."

I couldn't help but gasp. Gia had killed my dad! While I had suspected it, hearing it confirmed really was different. A rage washed over me, and I wanted nothing more than to pummel Gia into a million pieces. Just as the Dragons were approaching the store, the Turtles jumped down and confronted them.

"You guys just don't know when to stop, do you?" Leo asked them.

"Oh, great, it's the freaks," Gia laughed. "Where's my cousin?"

"Right here," I said as I jumped down next to Leo.

Leo glared at me. "Tony, you're not supposed to be here," he chastised. "Go back."

"No, she killed my dad, and I'm gonna make her pay for that," I said though gritted teeth.

Leo laid a hand on my arm. "It's not worth it, Tony," he said softly. "Let it go."

I shook him off of me. "No, I won't let it go!" I yelled as I rushed at Gia. She anticipated my move and dodged me. I started punching and kicking just as Splinter taught me, but I seemed to miss every time. Gia landed a few punches on me and gave me a roundhouse kick to my jaw, causing me to fall to the ground. I spotted a pipe lying on the ground and grabbed it. While Gia was laughing at me, I rushed at her, intending to hit her with the pipe, but Leo grabbed me before I could and yanked the pipe out of my hands.

"Tony, what are you doing?" he yelled.

"She killed my dad and I want to return the favor!" I yelled. "I want her to die!"

"No, you don't mean that," Leo said. "You're just angry right now."

"I do mean it!" I yelled, trying to break free of Leo's grip, but I wasn't strong enough. He dragged me away from my cousin and led me back to the rooftop. I still fought, but I couldn't break free. I felt Leo do something and suddenly I blacked out.

22222

When I woke, the Turtles and Splinter were around me, and none of them looked too happy. I groggily sat up. "What happened?" I asked them.

"I had to use a pressure point on you," Leo answered. "You were out of control, Tony. What possessed you to act like that?"

"Gia killed my dad," I answered. "I wanted to get revenge on her."

"But my orders were for you to stay out of the fight," Splinter said sternly. "I am disappointed that you disobeyed my orders and fought anyway. You could have been killed."

"I'm sorry, Sensei, but I couldn't help it," I insisted. "Something inside me just snapped, and I wanted to hurt Gia so badly for what she did."

Splinter sighed. "It seems that you have a temper that needs controlling," he remarked. "We will work on that as that is essential to being a true ninja. If you don't believe me, ask Raphael."

Raph smiled. "Yeah, sometimes having a temper isn't a good thing," he told me. "I know you were upset, but you can't let your anger control you. Maybe Sensei and I can help you with that."

"We can all help," Mikey said enthusiastically.

"Yes, I believe that is a good idea," Splinter said. "It will help to have support. I see this is a paint that is hard for you to let go."

"Do I get to take Tony home now?" Mikey asked him.

"No, Tony will stay here with us," Splinter replied. "I do not want him anywhere near Gia until his temper is under control. If your uncle will not consent, then I will speak to him myself."

Uncle Gino wasn't happy with my request, so Splinter talked to him and said it would be better for me to spend some time away from home because Gia had almost hurt me. He accepted it and let me stay. I was still angry about what happened and how Leo didn't let me fight, but I knew his heart was in the right place. I wasn't sure I'd be able to sleep that night, but the fact that I was with the Turtles seemed to help me. I was still angry about what Gia did and felt bad that I hadn't been there to prevent it.

Before I went to sleep, Leo approached me. "I know you're mad at me, Tony, but I had no choice," he said. "I didn't want you to stoop to her level."

"It's okay, Leo," I muttered. "I know you were trying to protect me. Hey, can you teach me that pressure point thing?"

"Yeah, sure," Leo said. "We can start tomorrow if Master Splinter doesn't mind."

"Great," I said. "Maybe I can use it on Gia when she annoys me."

"Tony, you can't use your moves just because Gia annoys you," Leo scolded. "You have to maintain control and not get angry at every little thing. Sensei and Raph can teach you about that, and that's the first thing we'll have to work on."

I nodded. Leo was right in that I did have a temper, and I needed to control it. I thought about what would have happened if I had killed Gia. I knew Uncle Gino would never forgive me for doing that, and I really didn't want to go to jail and be a murderer. I knew I'd have to tell someone about what Gia did because she needed to be locked up, but I had a feeling if I did, she'd just lie about it. For now, I had to just keep the secret and bide my time. I had a feeling Gia would get what was coming to her soon even if it wasn't from me. With that thought in my mind, I settled down to sleep, ready to face whatever came my way tomorrow.

A/N: Yay! Another chapter is done. Tis one was emotional to write because of the content. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up, but I'll do my best to make sure it's soon. In the meantime, feel free to leave a review, and have a shelltastic day.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Like A River Over Stone

A/N: I'm back with yet another chapter. I promised you I'd get this out as soon as I could, so here it is. I know the chapter is named after a quote from "Turtle Temper" and I did that on purpose. I actually liked that episode a lot as it had a good lesson instilled in it about keeping your temper and not letting the little things get to you. Now, let's see if Tony can learn this lesson as well. Thanks once again to all of those who have read and reviewed thus far. Your encouragement is so awesome, so thanks.

Disclaimer: TMNT belongs to Nickelodeon. I'm just an unemployed girl borrowing them for her creative pleasure.

I waited in the dojo for my next lesson. Raph was gonna help me to learn to control my temper. Honestly, I didn't think my temper was that bad, but seeing as how I almost killed my own cousin, I had to admit that it definitely needed to be reined in. Raph came in and looked at me followed by Splinter.

"Raphael is going to help assist with this lesson," Splinter told me. "As you know, you have a temper that must be kept in check, Tony. Losing control is a deterrent in battle, and you cannot afford to make this mistake. Raphael knows about this all too well. I would like to know what caused you to react in the manner that you did."

"Gia said she killed my dad, and it set me off," I answered.

"I see," Splinter mused. "Were you close with your father?"

"Yeah, I was very close to him. We shared everything, and when he died, it was like there was a hole there where he used to be. I was anxious to find out who killed him so I could avenge his death, and when Gia said it was her, I just lost it."

"Yes, the death of a loved one is never easy to deal with," said Splinter. "I, too, have lost a loved one myself, and I have wanted to avenge her death as well. However, it does no good to let your anger get the best of you. You need to shield yourself from it and try to calm down. Raphael, you may begin with the lesson."

Raph nodded and stepped up to me. "As you can see, we have a punching bag in the dojo," he said. "The best way that I like to unleash my anger is to punch and kick it. It really helps me channel my anger, so I want you to do the same. Just pretend the bag is Gia and let your anger out."

I nodded and stared at the bag, pretending that it was Gia smiling evilly. Then I began punching the bag hard and kicking it. My moves got faster as I unleashed all the anger I felt at my cousin, and it began to calm me. Once I was tired, I stopped, wiping the sweat from my brow.

"You feel better?" asked Raph.

I nodded. "Yeah, that did help," I said. "But when you're in battle, you can't use a punching bag to get your anger out. So, how do you channel your anger then?"

Raph chuckled. "Well, Sensei taught me to just let the insults wash over me like a river over stone," he answered. "I know your temper problem isn't about insults, but I know Gia will probably get you with a few. You need to ignore her and let the words wash away. I know it will be hard, but it really does help. Do you think you can do that?"

I was a little hesitant in my answer. "I think so," I said. "I'll try at least."

"Well, we'll work on it," promised Raph. "I'm going to pretend I'm Gia and insult you just to see if you can do what I suggested. Don't worry if you can't on the first try. I couldn't do it, but I learned how to. You ready?"

I nodded and waited. Raph hit me with so many insults about my dad and how he died, but I imagined Gia would be saying these things, so I thought it was smart of him to do that. I did my best to control my temper, but it wasn't working, and I lashed out. Raph managed to block my attack before I hurt him and smiled at me.

"Don't be upset about it," he reassured me. "You'll get it with practice. Good try though."

I smiled at him. "Thanks," I said.

"An excellent attempt, Tony," praised Splinter. "You will soon learn how to evade the insults thrown your way as long as you keep practicing. You are dismissed for now."

I took a shower and saw Mikey waiting for me when I came out.

"Hey, Tony, you want to go skateboarding?" he asked me.

I had brought my skateboard with me when I came down and thought that maybe it would be a good way to let off some steam. "Sure," I answered. "Are we going topside?"

"Nope, we're going to a place in the sewers," he replied. "I know of a few places where we can board with no interruptions. Sensei won't let us do that in the Lair because it's too dangerous." Mikey went to go tell Splinter where we were going and then came out, smiling. "He says we can go but we have to be careful," he told me.

"Great," I said. I got my board, and we headed out. It was nice to be traveling in the sewers with Mikey. He was very talkative and always liked to carry a conversation. "So, what's the deal with Raph?" I asked. "What caused him to have such a bad temper?"

"Well, he's always had a bad temper, but it really started getting bad with this guy we met," said Mikey and told me the story of how this guy kept insulting them and how Raph got mad. The guy had caught them on video, and they had to get the video back before he exposed them. Raph had a hard time controlling his temper, but eventually it all worked out, except that they guy turned into a mutant named Spyderbitez.

I laughed. "Who calls themselves that?" I asked.

Mikey smiled. "Oh, I named him that," he said. "I'm pretty good at namin' stuff. It's a gift I have."

"I bet," I said.

"Yeah, but sometimes my brothers get annoyed at me for it," he told me. "I guess they just don't know how to appreciate talent."

I didn't say anything to that. Soon we approached the spot Mikey had found, and I could see why he liked it. It was filled with different ramps and jumps. "Did you make those yourself?"

"Not all of them," he answered. "Some of it was here before, but others I made once I learned how to do it. You ready to do this?"

I nodded. "Definitely," I said.

Mikey took his board and skated down a ramp. He did a twist and yelled, "Booyakasha!"

"What does that mean?" I asked. "Is it a Japanese word?"

"I don't know if it means anything," answered Mikey. "I just like to yell it. I think it makes for a good battle cry or just something to yell when you're having fun."

"Have your other brothers said it?"

"Don and Raph have," said Mikey. "Leo hasn't yet. I think he's too good for that sort of thing being the leader and all."

"Or maybe he just hasn't found the right time to say it," I mused. "Maybe he will one of these days." I skated down a ramp, did a flip, and yelled, "Booyakasha!" Then I laughed. "You're right, Mikey, it IS fun to yell."

"I told you!" he gloated. "Now, let's see if you can keep up with the Mikester." He began doing some different moves, and I copied him as best as I could. I even showed him some moves I'd learned from kids in the neighborhood, and he managed to do them pretty well. Mikey was a fast learner, and that was something I admired about him. He also wasn't afraid to take risks and to do things that not many others would try.

After a few hours, we decided to call it quits. Mikey admired my skills, and I did the same to him. Then he kept talking to me about more of their adventures and asking questions about my own life. I told him as much as I could about what life was like for me, and he seemed really intrigued about human life. He asked if I liked school, and I told him I wasn't too fond of it because it was boring.

"If I was in school, I'd try to make things more interesting," Mikey declared. "You shouldn't be bored when you're trying to learn. It should be fun."

"Yeah, well the teachers don't see it that way," I said. "But I do like English class and art. I hate math though. I have so much trouble with it because I have a learning disability in it."

"Man, that's gotta be rough," said Mikey sympathetically.

"It is, but I get through it," I told him. "I'm in an LD class, and it seems to help, but my classmates don't seem to think so. I've been made fun of for being in an LD class. A lot of kids have called me retarded."

"Dude, that's not cool," Mikey said indignantly. "If I was in that school, I'd make sure those kids treated you with respect. Raph would probably beat the hell out of them for making fun of you that way."

"Thanks, Mikey," I said. "At least you seem to understand where I'm coming from."

"I do because I've been there," he said. "My bros sometimes make fun of me because I have a short attention span. They used to call me retarded, too, until Sensei made them stop. But at least they know that I'm still good for something ,and the fact that I've saved them a few times is enough for them to not make fun of me."

"I wonder if I can do that with the other kids, too," I mused. "Maybe I could just show them what I'm good at, and they won't make fun of me."

"Good idea," Mikey praised me.

"I'd better get ready for work tonight," I said. "I really don't want to go, but I've taken enough time off as it is."

"I'll walk you there," Mikey offered. "We can talk some more about stuff."

"Okay, it's a deal," I said. It felt good to talk to Mikey, and I really felt that all my troubles were slipping away. I really wished Mikey was human because he could have been a good influence on a lot of people. It was a shame that he had to be isolated and never able to really showcase who he was. The same was true for all of the Turtles.

I went to work and had a good route. Nothing really bad happened, and after I was done, Mikey was ready to meet me and walk home with me. I was tired but happy. Even though Raph had taught me about the punching bag being able to release anger, I still felt that Mikey's cheerful spirit and energy was the cure I needed to let go of the rage I'd been feeling since Gia's revelation. I slept really well that night and had nothing but good dreams, and I owed it all to Mikey, one of the best brothers I'd never had.

A/N: Yay! Another chapter is finished. Yes, I really wonder when Leo's going to say "Booyakasha!" in the cartoon. He's the only one of the four who hasn't said it, and I think it would be awesome if he did. Oh, well, there's always hope for season two, right? I had a lot of fun writing the bonding between Mikey and Tony. Don't worry Don will get his turn to bond with Tony, too. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Orphaned Again

A/N: I know it's been a little while since I updated Tony's story but now I have a clear idea of where I want this tory to go. Thanks to all of those who have read and reviewed thus far. Your kind words have been awesome. The rest of this story will mirror season 2 and talk about the events that have happened so far. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters are property of Nickelodeon. I only own the plot of the story.

Well, you've probably figured things couldn't get worse for me, right? I had already dealt with enough turmoil to last me a lifetime. How could other things go wrong? It all started when I left for my shift. I had just talked to Uncle Gino who had wished me a safe route and was on my way. Things were going great as I made my deliveries, but then something strange happened in the sky. I noticed that something was coming down, and I wasn't sure what it was. Then I took a closer look and gasped. Mutagen canisters were raining on the city! I knew about them because of the canister Splinter had shown me after he told me the origin story. Why was this happening now?

I dodged my way around the canisters and took shelter at a nearby house. The woman who lived there, Mrs. Murphy, ushered me to come inside. She was one of our best customers and was always very polite to me.

"Hurry up and get in here, Tony," she ordered. "It's not safe for you to be out in this."

I did as she asked and made sure to store my bike where it wouldn't get hit. Then we both watched as mutagen canisters rained down, hitting sidewalks and splitting open on impact, though some managed to not break open. This was definitely not good, and I wondered if the guys knew anything about this. I wanted to call them but figured it wasn't a good idea with Mrs. Murphy standing there. She was liable to ask questions, and I really didn't want to spill the beans on the Turtles' existence right then and there.

"My, my, this is very strange," she mused. "What do you suppose that stuff is?"

I shook my head. "I don't know, but it looks like a dangerous chemical," I answered.

"Do you think this has anything to do with bin Laden?" Mrs. Murphy asked me. "Are his lackeys plotting chemical warfare?"

"I'm not sure, but I know this can't be good," I replied. Once again, I really wanted to get in touch with the guys, but I had to wait until this was all over before I could get to them. Once the mutagen canisters stopped falling, I began to feel a sense of relief, and I could tell Mrs. Murphy did too.

"Thank God that's over," she said. "Would you like to stay for dinner?"

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Murphy, but I have to get back to the shop," I answered. "I need to make sure Uncle Gino is okay."

"Oh, okay," she said. "Well, you be sure to come back soon. Drive safely now."

"I will," I promised. Then I headed out, stepping over a mutagen container that was on the sidewalk by my bike. I wanted to pick it up, but a voice in my head warned that it could be dangerous to do that, so I just avoided it, picked up my bike, and headed back to the shop as fast as I could. When I got there, I noticed that Uncle Gino wasn't there and wondered what had happened to him.

"Hey, Vinnie, where's Uncle Gino?" I asked. Vinnie was a friend of Dad's and Uncle Gino's and had agreed to help them with the pizza business.

"He left an hour or so ago," he replied. "I'm glad you're okay, Tony. You see those falling chemicals?"

"Yeah, I sheltered at Mrs. Murphy's until they stopped," I responded. "Look, I'm done for the night, so I'm gonna go back home and see if Uncle Gino made it home okay."

"Sounds good," Vinnie said. "Let me know if you need anything though."

"I will," I promised. I headed out of the shop and towards Uncle Gino's apartment. Along the way I spotted April running and decided that maybe she could tell the guys about what happened. I waved her down. "Hey, April, I need to talk to you!" I yelled.

She stopped running and glared at me. "I don't want to talk to anyone right now," she said. "My life has been ruined again, and it's all thanks to the guys."

"Wait, what did they do?" I asked her. I couldn't imagine the guys doing anything to April on purpose.

"They released those mutagen canisters," she answered. "My father's been mutated into a bat all because of those stupid freaks!"

"Whoa, April, don't be so hasty," I told her. "I'm sure they didn't mean to do it. It was probably an accident."

"I don't care!" she stormed. "I never want to see them again, and maybe you should stay away from them, too. They're nothing but trouble."

I wasn't so sure about that, but I knew there was nothing I could say that would change her mind. "Look, I have to go," I said. "I'll talk to the guys and see if I can get this straightened out. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

She didn't answer and just left. I sighed and went back to the apartment only to be met by a screaming and hysterical Gia.

"Get out of here!" she cried. "You have to leave now! Dad's gone crazy!"

"What are you talking about?" I demanded.

"He's a hideous freak!" she answered. "I came home and saw him. It looks like he merged with that parrot he loved so much. I tried to talk to him, but he came at me, so I ran out of here. You need to get away, but don't come with me. I don't want someone like you tagging along. This is probably your fault anyway for associating with those freaks you love so much." Then she ran off not even looking back at me.

I was confused. What was going on? I ran into the apartment and saw Uncle Gino. He was definitely like Gia had said. His body was that of his beloved parrot, Morty, but when he turned, he had my uncle's face. Yeah, this definitely wasn't good.

"Uncle Gino?" I asked. "Is that you?"

He answered with a roar and came flying at me. I dodged and managed to escape his grasp, but he turned and came at me again. This time I just ran and managed to close the door before he could get out. I pulled out my T-Phone and dialed Leo's number. It rang once before he picked up.

"Hello?" he said.

"Leo, I have a problem," I said. "Uncle Gino's been turned into a parrot mutant. Gia's run away, and I can't get to my stuff. You have to come down here and try and subdue him."

Leo sighed. "Oh boy," he groaned. "First April's dad and now this."

"Yeah, I just talked to April earlier," I said. "She's not too happy with you guys right now."

"Okay, Tony, just try and sit tight until we get there. Are you at your apartment?"

"I'm a few blocks down," I answered. "I wanted to try and get away from Uncle Gino before he did anything."

"Good, we'll meet you there," Leo said and hung up.

I was afraid I would have to wait a long time, but the Turtles showed up as promised. They definitely weren't happy about what was going on.

"Man, this mutagen is really startin' to tick me off," Raph grumbled. "Are you happy now, Mikey?"

"Hey, it was an accident!" the orange-clad Turtle protested.

"What happened?" I asked him.

"I accidentally hit the button that opens the escape hatch on the ship while the mutagen storage thingy was open," he answered. "Then all the canisters fell out of the ship and rained down on the sky. You didn't get hit with any, did you?"

"If he did, he wouldn't be a human," Don pointed out. "He'd probably be like Tim."

"Okay, we need to focus, guys," Leo said, using his best leader tone. "The object is to try and lure Tony's uncle out of the apartment so Tony can get his stuff."

"But there are other apartments in the hallway," Don pointed out. "If we do that, he could try and go into one of those. And we can't be spotted by other residents. I'm surprised they haven't come out already with the noise Tony's uncle has made."

"So, what are we supposed to do?" Raph demanded.

Leo sighed. "I guess there's nothing we can do," he said dejectedly. "We'll just have to go back to the Lair and regroup. We have to figure out what else we can do."

"What about Tony?" Mikey asked his blue eyes fixed on me. "With his uncle being a mutant, he doesn't have anywhere else to go now."

"He can come live with us," Leo replied. "That'll be the safest place for him. If the police want to question you, Tony, just tell them the truth about what happened to him without mentioning us if it comes to that. You can still go to work like always, but one of us will come with you and pick you up to make sure you're safe. Does that sound good?"

"Yeah, I guess," I said. I was glad the Turtles were willing to take me in, but now it left me feeling emptier than ever. I had no one to turn to now that Uncle Gino was a mutant and Gia had run off. I knew how April felt, but I didn't want to blame the guys. It wasn't their fault this had happened, and I wasn't going to abandon them.

Mikey put a hand on my shoulder. "Hey, Tony, I'm really sorry," he said. "This never should have happened." He looked really upset, and I felt awful for him.

I gave Mikey a gentle hug. "Don't worry, Mikey, I don't blame you," I said gently. "It was just an accident. I'm still gonna be your friend. And don't worry about April either. She'll come around."

"Thanks, Tony," he whispered. "You really are a cool dude."

When we went down to the Lair, we told Splinter everything about what had happened. He agreed to let me stay as long as I wanted and urged the Turtles to search for every canister before more mutants were revealed. After that, we headed to bed, and I decided to bunk with Mikey since I knew he was feeling bad instead of taking the spare room that had once been April's. I could tell Mikey was glad I was with him by the way he smiled as I settled down in a sleeping bag he gave me. But before I went to sleep, my T-Phone rang. I answered it and saw it was April.

"Hey, Tony, did you get home okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, but I'm staying with the Turtles," I answered. "Uncle Gino got mutated, so I can't stay at his place."

"You're staying with them?" she demanded. "Why?"

"Because they said I could," I told her. "Look, I'm not like you, April. I don't have any other relatives to go to anymore. The Turtles are the only ones I have left, and I can't just abandon them. What happened was just an accident, and I think you need to let go of your pride and forgive them, especially Mikey. He's so cut up right now because of how you treated them."

"Tony, they mutated my dad and your uncle!" she yelled. "How can you stand to protect them after what they did? They've ruined our lives!"

"Because they're my friends and my family, April," I replied. "I can't just run out on them. They're going to try and fix everything. You just have to give them a chance."

"Sorry, but I'm not associating with them right now," she said. "You can do what you want, but I want nothing to do with those freaks!" Then she hung up.

I looked over at Mikey who was watching me have my conversation. He had heard what April had said and it really hurt him judging by the sad look in his blue eyes.

"She really hates us, doesn't she?" he asked softly.

"No, Mikey, she's just mad right now," I reassured him. "She'll come around."

"But she called us freaks!" he protested. "She's never said that to us before."

"Well, people sometimes say stuff they don't mean," I replied. "Just try not to worry about her, okay? You have me, and that's all that matters right now. Just focus on what you have to do tomorrow."

Mikey nodded. "Okay, Tony," he said. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Mikey," I answered. I settled down in my sleeping bag and fell asleep. I wasn't sure what was going to happen now, but I knew the Turtles would do all they could to right the mistake they had made. I had complete faith in them and knew that things were going to be okay as long as they were around. But things were definitely going to get weird for a while until this all settled down, and I knew we all had to be prepared for what was to come.

A/N: So, that's the end of that chapter. I'm so glad I got this one out. Yep, Tony's uncle is a mutant now, and now he has to stay with the Turtles. What do you think? Feel free to leave a review, and have a shelltastic day.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Babbling Homeless Guys and Squirrelanoids

A/N: Yep, here's the next chapter. This will take place during the next episode. So how does Tony factor into this? Well, you'll find out. Thanks to those who have read and reviewed thus far. You guys are awesome.

Disclaimer: TMNT is owned by Nickelodeon. I only own the plot.

I was supposed to work the night shift, though I was going to be taking orders at the shop instead of delivering as I always did. Vinnie said there was a shortage and he needed help. He did ask me about Uncle Gino, but I just said that he'd disappeared and couldn't be found. I knew that troubled him and that the police might get involved with it, but there was nothing I could do about that. It was during my shift that something really weird happened. Granted, I was used to weird by now, and we often had our share of weird customers lately, but this one took the cake.

A homeless guy came running into the shop babbling up a storm. "Squirrels!" he yelled. "Mutant squirrels, mutant turtles and a rat! The world is coming to an end!"

"What the hell is he talkin' about?" Vinnie asked me.

"I have no clue," I answered even though I had a fair idea. The guys were involved with this, and I was going to get answers once I got back to the Lair. The homeless guy continued babbling a bit before he ran out of the shop and into the street. Yep, the guys definitely had some explaining to do.

After my shift was over I headed and went to the alley next to the shop where I was supposed to meet one of the Turtles. This time it was Leo who was there waiting for me.

"Hey, you'll never believe the day I just had," I told him. "Some homeless guy was babbling about mutant squirrels, mutant turtles, and rats. Do you happen to know anything about that?"

"Did he have a black beard?" Leo asked me.

"Yeah, he did," I replied. "What's going on?"

Leo explained about how they had to take him home after the mutant squirrel entered his stomach and how Don had to study him. Then he told us about their little adventure and how the squirrels turned into squirrelanoids (I had a feeling Mikey had named them that).

"Okay, so what happened after they were flushed?" I asked.

"We don't know, but Mikey thinks they'll come back," he replied. "I'm just glad we had the idea to pick you up. I don't want anything to happen to you now."

"Yeah, as if anything hasn't already happened to me," I joked.

Leo didn't respond and escorted me to the Lair, keeping alert and having his katanas out. He seemed tense until we got to the Lair and then relaxed once we were at the entrance. This really must have freaked him out.

Mikey greeted me. "Tony, dude, you'll never believe what happened to us," he said.

"I already know," I said. "Leo told me. Good job for saving the day, Mikey."

"Ah, it was nothing," he said. "But I have a feeling they'll be back."

"Well, if they do come back, you'll be ready for them," I reassured him. "The thing that clued me in though was when the homeless guy came in and started babbling about mutant squirrels, rats and turtles."

"Was there anything else he said?" Splinter asked me.

I shook my head. "No, he just babbled a bit and left."

"I see," Splinter mused. "Well, I am sure no one will believe a homeless man."

"No, but they may believe it when they see other mutants walking around," Leo pointed out.

"That is true, but there is not much you can do for tonight," Splinter said. "You must continue your mission tomorrow night and see if you can get any other canisters. This is definitely a grave situation."

"Hey, Tony, have you heard from April lately?" Donnie asked me.

"Nope, she hasn't called me," I answered. "I think she's still mad."

"Donnie, get over her already," Raph grumbled. "The key is to let her come to you, so just give her some space."

Don was ready to retort, but Splinter stopped him with a look. "Your brother is right, Donatello," he said. "You must give April some time. She will come around in her own way."

"Hai, Sensei," Donnie said softly.

"I suggest you all go to bed," Splinter ordered. "This has been a difficult night for all of us."

I was grateful for his suggestion and decided to take the spare room until Mikey asked if I could stay with him again. I agreed and went to his room where he told me more about the adventure and how scared he'd been when the squirrelanoid had almost dragged him down the drain.

"Wow, that had to be hard for you," I said. "It's a good thing the others were there."

"Yeah, that's for sure," he said. "I just want company right now and don't want to be alone. You don't think that's weird, do you?"

"No way," I said. "I'd probably want company too if I went through what you did. It'll be okay though, Mikey. You're safe now. Just try and get some sleep, okay?"

"Yeah, okay," he said. I waited until he closed his eyes and fell asleep before drifting off to sleep myself. Poor Mikey! First April rejected them and then he almost got killed. I just hoped this whole thing would end without any serious injuries or casualties in the process.

A/N: So, that's the end of that chapter. A bit short but there wasn't much else I could do with this one. I'm not sure when the next one will be up, but it'll probably be after the next new episode airs, which should be next week. I want to try and wait for two episodes to air so that I can get out two chapters so you're not waiting too long, but we'll see how things go and how Nickelodeon handles it. Can't wait for the next episode though since it's Leo centered, and you know how much of a Leo fan I am and how I adore those types of episodes. In the meantime feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Dropping the Bomb

A/N: Yep, it's been a little while since I've posted about Tony but I now have inspiration again from last week's episode, so here it is. I want to thank all of those who have read and reviewed thus far. Your encouragement has been great.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot.

Living with the Turtles was pretty great, even though I missed hanging out with Uncle Gino. The Turtles were doing their best to rectify the mistake of the canisters missing, and I could tell they were really focused on it. I wanted to help them, but Splinter forbade me from doing so. All I could do was go to school and work. I tried talking to April a few times at school, but she didn't even acknowledge me and just hung out with her weird friend Irma. Irma was a character and often was talking about guys she wanted to date. I thought she was too desperate and calmly turned her down when she wanted to go out with me. I told her that she needed to slow down and wait for the right one to come instead of throwing herself at guys. I knew she wouldn't listen to me, but I tried my best.

After work, I came home and talked to Master Splinter about my day. The guys were out, so I figured they were looking for more canisters. Then I heard them come home and listened to what they were saying.

"He's gone and it's all my fault," Raph was saying.

"We didn't follow his orders," Don added.

"How are we going to explain this to Splinter?" Mikey asked.

Splinter had heard enough and came out with me following behind. "Explain what to me, Michelangelo?" he asked.

As I looked at the brothers, I knew something was wrong because Leo wasn't there. What had happened to him? The Turtles looked at their father with sad looks in their eyes.

"It's Leo, Sensei," replied Raph. "He's gone. Karai…captured him."

Splinter made a humming noise and closed his eyes. "I knew it would come to this eventually," he said softly.

"Come to what, Sensei?" Don inquired.

"Karai believes that I took a loved one away from her," Splinter answered.

"But it's not true, right?" Mikey asked, his blue eyes filled with fear. I could tell he didn't want to believe that his dad would kill someone so heartlessly.

"No, it is not true," Splinter responded. "Find Leonardo. That is the most important thing right now. Save your brother."

"I can go with you guys," I offered.

"No, you are to stay here, Tony," Splinter said firmly. "My sons can handle this on their own."

I was upset that I wasn't able to help, but Splinter was right. I had no experience to help, and I knew that I didn't stand a chance against the Foot. Still, I was mad at Karai for doing this and wondered why she hated the Turtles so much? Instead, I went to my room and did some homework while the Turtles went to rescue Leo. I could tell Splinter was on edge so after I was done with my work, I went and sat with him. Questions were in my head as I wondered what exactly he knew, but I felt it would be disrespectful to pry into it. Dad always taught me to never ask personal questions about anyone unless they asked them about you and that if someone wanted to share information they would do so on their own time. I was feeling really tense though and kept thinking about what may have happened to Leo. Was he dead, or would he be badly injured?

Splinter seemed to be thinking the same thing. "Tony, go get the first aid kit in case it is needed," he ordered.

I hurried to Don's lab and immediately got the toolbox he used as his first aid kit. I really hoped we wouldn't need it, but it was best to be prepared just in case. Then we just waited. Splinter was meditating, and I wondered how he could stay so calm with all this worry hanging over us?

Suddenly, the Turtles came home, all of them unhurt. I ran to them and gave Leo a hug. "I'm so glad you're okay," I said in relief. "Do you need any bandages or anything?"

"I'm a little banged up, but I'll be okay," he reassured me. "Stop worrying, Tony, I'm fine."

I did as he asked and helped Mikey make the frozen pizzas I had gotten at the store. I really wanted to do something different with the guys, and that would be my next project. After dinner was over, Mikey and Donnie played the pinball machine and asked if Leo wanted to play too. Leo said he was cool and then went to Raph. Both exchanged a brotherly moment, which I was happy to see after what had happened before. Then Leo went to Splinter's room to talk to him.

"Why do you think Leo's talking to Splinter?" Mikey asked us.

"He probably wants to report about what happened," I guessed. "Doesn't he always do that after a mission?"

"Yeah, he does, but I think this is somethin' else," Raph said.

Suddenly, we heard Leo gasp and grew worried. What was going on? Then Leo and Splinter came out with grave looks on their faces.

"What's going on?" I asked them.

Leo looked at Splinter, who nodded to him and then he turned to us. "Guys, Master Splinter has something he needs to tell you," he began. "It's something he learned while he battled Shredder."

Splinter looked at all of us and sighed heavily. "My sons, I know that I have been very secretive about what I learned from Shredder," he said. "It has pained me so much, and I was not sure if I was ever going to tell you. But now in light of what has happened with Leonardo, I feel that you need to be told what I know. I had thought that my daughter was taken from me in that fire, and for many years, I harbored that loss and ached over her passing. But now, I know that what I thought to be true is not true at all."

"What do you mean, Sensei?' Mikey asked softly.

"Karai is my daughter," he answered. "Shredder took her from me and raised her on his own. He did this out of revenge because he thought that I had taken Tang Shen away from him."

"Wait, so Karai is Miwa?" Raph asked incredulously.

"Yes, Raphael," Splinter replied. "Karai is my daughter and your sister."

"Awesome!" Mikey cried "I always wanted a sister!"

"Yeah, but that sister is evil and tried to hurt Leo," Don corrected him.

Mikey's face wilted at that. "Oh, yeah," he said softly. "Well, then she needs to learn not to mess with this family like that. Water is thicker than blood."

"Uh, Mikey, it's blood is thicker than water," Don contradicted.

"Well, you know what I meant!" Mikey argued.

"I tried to reason with Karai when she accused Splinter of taking her mother," Leo said, changing the topic before a fight could break out. "I don't think she believed me at all, so I don't think we can reason with her. And after what she did to me, I don't think I want to talk to her again. As far as I'm concerned, she's not part of this family."

"But, Leo, she technically is," I insisted. "She only captured you because she was mad at Splinter. Maybe if you showed her Splinter's portrait it would get her to see reason."

Leo's eyes were hard. "No, Tony, I'm not going to do that," he said. "It's too late." Then he turned and walked to his room.

"Sensei, do you think she could be reached?" Don asked him.

"I do not know, but it is not our place to do so," he replied. "I believe Leonardo would have tried had she not captured him, but she has too much hate in her heart to ever be reached. Perhaps, in time, she will come to see that what Leonardo said is true. Until then, we can only let her find the answers for herself. Now, it is time for bed. This has been a trying day for all of you."

We bowed to him and went to bed. It was definitely hard to learn this truth now, and I knew it was hurting Splinter that his own daughter was seeking vengeance against him and his sons. It made me think of Gia and how she often acted around me. She hated me just as much as Karai hated her own dad, and I knew I could never get her to see reason no matter what I did. I figured the best thing I could do was just to let her go. I did hope that Karai would turn a new leaf for Splinter's sake, but even if she didn't, I knew that the Turtles and I would do all we could to make sure Splinter was happy despite his loss. It was all we could do at the moment.

A/N: So, that's the end of that chapter. I know that "Follow the Leader" was technically the second episode, but since it was shown as the third one, I'm going off of that. Also, I don't know if the other Turtles are going to find out about Karai yet or not but I thought it would be cool for them to find out in this chapter. Next chapter's coming really soon. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Taco Night

A/N: Here's another chapter. This one's a bit of a filler, but I hope to have more action in the next one once I see the new episode tomorrow. I can't wait for Casey's debut. Thanks to all of those who have read and reviewed. You guys are awesome.

Disclaimer: TMNT are owned by Nickelodeon. I only own the plot.

After Leo got captured, the Turtles were even more on edge than usual. I decided to do something different with them since they'd been having pizza a lot lately. I went to the store and bought ingredients to make tacos and nachos. The Turtles were curious about this and wondered why I was going to do this.

"You guys have been having pizza too much," I replied. "I know you like it and all, but you guys need to try new things."

"Hey, we eat stuff at Murakami's," Mikey protested.

"Yeah, but pizza gyoza is still pizza," I answered. "That's why I'm going to make you guys tacos and nachos." I let Mikey help me prepare them and let the others choose what they wanted on their tacos. Once they were done, I prepared the nachos, using a Hormel chili dip without beans since I wasn't a fan of beans myself. When that was done, I set out chips for them and let them dig in. Even Splinter decided to try one.

"Man, these are awesome, Tony!" Mikey exclaimed. "I've never tasted anything so good."

"Yeah, these are great," Raph added. "And the nachos are awesome. How did you know how to make it?"

"Dad and I used to make the dip all the time for football games," I answered. "We would always make it and eat it around Super Bowl time and even for some wrestling events. I chose no beans because I don't like beans myself, though Dad always did. We would do two different types for both of us though."

"It's a good thing you didn't have beans, Tony," Leo said. "Mikey can get some horrible gas from that stuff."

"Hey, Raph's gassier than me!" Mikey protested.

"My sons, that is enough!" Spinter chastised before a fight could break out. "Tony, this meal is very tasty. I commend you for making it and thank you for introducing us to this fine creation."

"You're welcome, Sensei," I said. "And thanks for the compliment."

"You are quite welcome," Splinter replied.

After dinner was over, we sat around and watched wrestling, munching on nachos as we watched. I seriously felt at home here, and I really thought of the Turtles and Splinter as my new family. I just hoped that they'd get the canisters and create something that could help restore Uncle Gino to his original form.

Leo put an arm around me as if sensing my thoughts. "Don't worry, Tony, we'll do our best to get your uncle back," he reassured me. "Donnie's been working on it, and you know he won't rest until he gets it right."

"I know," I said softly. "Thanks, Leo." I knew Donnie was doing all he could to find a cure and that he hadn't been sleeping well because of it. It hurt to see him so stressed over this, but he was so determined to set things right not only for April, but for me as well. Little did I know that this quest was going to be harder than I thought, and that there would be more things to contend with than just the canisters.

A/N: And that's a wrap on this chapter. A little short I know, but that's the most I could do. I kind of wanted to set some things up for the next chapter to keep you guys in suspense. I'm excited for tomorrow's episode and really can't wait to write the next chapter based on it. Oh, and the Hormel chili dip recipe is one we make here at home. We use Hormel chili dip with no beans and cheese to make it and put it in the microwave to heat. It's so good, and I would definitely recommend it. In the meantime, feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Enter Casey Jones

A/N: Yep, I'm back with more of Tony's story just as I promised. This will take place during the new episode but there will be some additions of my own as well. I kind of hoped to see Tony on the street in the episode but was disappointed that we didn't see him there. That's okay though because he'll still be featured in this story. Thanks to all of those who have read and reviewed thus far, especially to OneCute Pug for taking the time to review every chapter. I can't reply to you in the regular way because you've disabled Private Messaging. Everyone, go read OneCutePug's stuff. He/she is an excellent writer. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Disclaimer: TMNT belong to Nickelodeon. I only own part of the plot.

As if things couldn't get bad enough, I had to keep on going to school. It was hard because April was there and wouldn't talk to me, but there was someone else I wasn't too fond to see, and his name was Casey Jones. Casey was your typical jock obsessed with sports and had an attitude to match. He was sort of a bully at times, and it really grated on my nerves when he would pick on me. Today was no exception to that rule. As I was on my way to my locker, Casey stepped into my path.

"Hey, Pizza Boy, I thought I smelled the delicious scent of cookies wafting from the elves inside your hair," he quipped.

I glared at him. "I'd rather have curly hair than to be a gap-toothed idiot," I retorted. I should have felt bad since Don had a gap tooth, but he wasn't the one making fun of my looks like this idiot was.

"Oh, I'm so hurt," Casey mocked. "So, when's your next shift? You better be on the lookout for prank callers. They're rabid in this city."

"None of your business," I answered. "And would that prank caller be you?"

"Maybe, maybe not," he replied. "If you'll excuse me, I have to go ask a lovely lady for some help." He left me and went up to April. I had thought about going up to her, too, but there was no way I was going to do that with him standing there, so I went to my locker and got what I needed to continue my day. I just wanted to get out of there as fast as I could so I could see the guys.

When school was over, I went back to the Lair. I didn't have to work that night, so Leo arranged for us to have training, and I could come along this time. That was good because I needed something to distract me from Casey Jones. I got some of my homework out of the way so I wouldn't have to worry about it. I wanted to ask Donnie about it, but he was busy in his lab working on a cure for April's dad and Uncle Gino, so I had to just do stuff on my own. The questions I didn't know I just skipped and decided to ask Don for help later when he was available.

"Okay, guys, let's go out for training," Leo called.

I closed my math book and hurried out to where the others were waiting. I could tell Don didn't really want to go, but he did what he was told to do. I was getting better at hopping the rooftops and really liked that type of travel. Mikey challenged me to a race, and I accepted. He was fast and soon beat me to the roof where training was supposed to be. I was about to sneak up on him, when Leo put a finger to his lips and whispered, "Let me show you what we're gonna work on." Then he snuck into the shadows so fast, I didn't know where he'd gone. Mikey was distracted by some pizza someone had left on the roof and didn't see Leo coming before Leo was on him.

"Ouch! What was that?" Mikey asked indignantly.

Leo took a bite of the pizza. "That was a stealth exercise, and that's what we're gonna do for training," he replied.

"No fair!" Mikey pouted. "I didn't see you comin'."

"That's why it's called stealth," Raph told him.

"Okay, Mikey and Raph, you're up," said Leo.

"I don't wanna do this anymore, do you, Raph?" asked Mikey. Then he looked around. "Raph?"

Suddenly, Raph came out of nowhere and grabbed Mikey from behind. "Shell wedgie!" he yelled.

"Hey, put me down!" Mikey shouted.

"You guys are too much," I laughed.

"Okay, Tony, how about you try and sneak up on me?" Leo suggested.

I wasn't sure if I could, but I knew it was a good idea to try. I melted into the shadows and tried to do my very best to sneak up on Leo from behind, but he turned around, grabbed me, and threw me down.

"Hey, I snuck up on you!" I protested.

"Yes, but you weren't stealthy about it," Leo replied. "The key to being stealthy is to make sure you can't be sensed at all times. You have to be one with the shadows. It was a good try though. I think the problem is to focus your breathing so it's silent. You weren't very silent, which is why I sensed you coming."

"Oh, okay," I answered. "I guess I'll have to work on that."

"Don't sweat it, Tony, none of us got it on the first try except for Leo," Mikey reassured me. "Raph had the hardest time with it."

"Okay, Donnie should try with Raph now," Leo suggested then looked around. "Donnie? Hey, has anyone seen Donnie?"

"He was sitting over there the last I saw," I answered. We spread out to look for him but couldn't find him.

Leo sighed. "Well, I guess we'd better call it a night since Donnie's not here," he said resignedly. "Maybe he decided to go back to the Lair."

As it turned out, that's exactly where Donnie was when we got back. Leo wasn't too happy and lectured Don about missing out on training. Don apologized and went back into his lab to do more work. I wanted to go after him but Leo told me to just leave him alone. I decided to make some lasagna for the guys with Mikey's help, so we went to work on that while Raph and Leo played some pinball. Then we heard a loud crash and knew something was wrong.

"Sensei? Donnie?" Mikey asked as we rushed out of the kitchen. "Whoa!"

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. There was a huge hole in the wall, and Don guessed that Timothy was gone. I knew that Don was obsessed with restoring Timothy to his original state as well as curing April's dad and Uncle Gino, but none of us guessed that he would escape. The Turtles left to sort out the mess while I finished cooking dinner with Splinter's help.

"Do you really think Donnie can find a cure for my uncle, Sensei?" I asked as I worked.

"Donatello is very intelligent, and I believe he will do all he can to find a cure," Splinter answered. "However, he does have the tendency to get distracted about other things, and that may hinder him in his search."

"You mean April?"

Splinter nodded. "Yes, that is exactly what I mean," he replied. "I do hope that he will learn not to set his heart so on things and learn to concentrate on what he must achieve. I do not want him to make the same mistakes that I have made in the past."

"I don't think he will, Sensei," I said. "Yeah, he likes April, but I don't think he'll be stupid enough to try and steal her from someone else. Wait, is she with someone else?"

"I believe so, though I do not know who it may be," Splinter told me. "All I could hear is that she is with some punk human kid as Donatello put it."

"That could be anybody," I said. But then I remembered Casey asking her for tutoring help. Casey had to be the punk kid. Oh, man, if I could sic Don on him that would teach him to mess with me. But then again, something told me that wouldn't be a good idea at the moment and that Splinter wouldn't approve. Still, I needed his advice on what to do.

"Sensei, I need help with something."

"Oh? What is wrong, Tony?" he asked, his voice taking on that fatherly concern I missed so much from my own dad.

"Well, there's this kid at school who bullies me sometimes," I replied. "He just makes me so mad. What should I do?"

"Is this child hurting you?" Splinter asked me.

"No, not physically," I answered. "He just makes fun of my hair and my job so far. But if he does get physical, what should I do?"

Splinter stroked his beard. "Well, I know your instinct would be to fight back, but that is not a good idea within a school setting. The best thing for you to do is to tell the principal or an adult what is going on and let them handle it."

"But if it's outside of school, I can fight back, right?" I asked.

"Only if you feel you really need to," Splinter answered. "I know that we have been teaching you self-defense, but you are not to use it unless you absolutely have no other way of defending yourself. Does that help?"

"Yeah, it does," I replied. "Thanks, Sensei."

"You are very welcome, Tony," he said. "It is what I am here for."

After dinner was done, we waited for the guys to get home. They brought Tim back, but he was frozen solid. Leo told us what had happened and assured Splinter that they hadn't been spotted by anyone. Don retreated to his lab and refused to eat, but the others ate the lasagna and garlic bread instantly. We saved some for Donnie and I decided to put it in the refrigerator so he could get it later if he wanted it.

"I feel so bad for Donnie," I said. "Do you think he'll be okay?"

"I think he'll be okay with time, Tony," Leo reassured me. "He's had a tough day, so we'd better just leave him be."

We watched a few episodes of that new show Mikey had discovered before calling it a night and heading to bed. I went back to my room, feeling horrible for Donnie and not knowing what else was to be done. I felt like I was helpless and not able to do anything for him. Still, I had my own problems to worry about and figured that Don would be okay with some time to himself. With that thought in my head, I went to sleep, hoping that things would get better for everyone.

A/N: So, that's the end of that chapter. What did you think? I have to admit that I can see Casey being a bit of a bully at times, but I don't hate him. I think he's actually pretty cool and can't wait to see him meet the Turtles. The line about the elves in Tony's hair was taken from an episode of Glee where Sue Sylvester said that to Will Schuester, so I thought it would be funny to put that in there since Tony has curly hair. I also put in the lasagna and garlic bread for dinner because I just had that for lunch before I started typing this. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


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